grandfather's daughter-in-law

Wutong Township belongs to Taipei City, but it is located in a remote area, and the traffic is very blocked. After taking the train from Yilan to Taipei City, it takes several hours to transfer to a car.It is also true that the cultural development here is very backward. Modern equipment such as telephones can only be found in convenience stores in the town, and televisions are even rarer. Therefore, Gezai Opera has become a unique entertainment program in the town.It was evening when we returned to the town, but what greeted us was not the familiar sound of gongs and beards, but a burst of unfamiliar pop music clamoring from afar.

"What's going on?" Wang Yugui muttered.But none of us have the answer.

Ding Yongchang's crutch clanged on the ground, and he quickened his pace.The art skills that he has been relying on for a lifetime are no longer just a means of making a living. He is sensitively aware that this is the biggest threat to the survival of his opera troupe.Wang Yugui hastily helped him.I pulled Yu Minxiu's suitcase and followed behind.Ding Yongchang didn't have many things in the hospital, but he was diligent and frugal all his life, and he brought back everything from washbasins to towels.I put it on the handle of the case.On the way, Yu Minxiu wanted to take over several times, but I persisted.I think even if she brought the whole family, I would carry it on my back, not to mention this few things.

"Is it heavy?" she asked me again.She carried only a small bag on her back.

"It's not heavy, you can just give me the bag on your body." I also deliberately shook the heavy handle to prove that I was not lying.The washbasin on the lever suddenly slid to one side, and I caught it in a hurry, which made her chuckle.

The source of the music is the palace temple where we usually perform, and there are only a few young audiences sitting sparsely in front of the temple gate.The old fanciers from the past were completely gone, and there were no actors on the stage. A brand-new speaker under the pillar was playing deafening music.The loud and thick sound spread far and wide in the open sky, shaking my temples throbbing one after another.

Ding Yongchang's lame leg covered in plaster was suspended in the air, and he was almost jumping forward on one leg, his crutches clanging muffled on the dirt.A few lazy musicians sat there chatting with each other under the stage, and they were a little surprised to see Ding Yongchang.Someone stood up lazily, "Ban... class leader, you are back. How is your leg?"

Ding Yongchang didn't have time to pay attention to the greeting, pointed to the brand-new stereo with one hand, and asked sharply: "What's going on?"

"It's the idea of ​​building an army."

Ding Yongchang tensed his face and turned around angrily.His legs were clumsy and stiff in plaster casts, and his hands, shaking with rage, nearly lost the stability of his crutches.Wang Yugui hurriedly supported him, and comforted him: "Don't be so angry first, ask clearly before talking." But he is a very strong man, and he won't listen to a word of persuasion.

When we walked backstage, Xu Hong was arranging for the actors to put on makeup.Ding Yongchang glanced around quickly, eleven, oh no, twelve little girls, and one who just came out from the cloakroom—actually, a temporary space only one meter square, and returned it with one hand. I am finishing the thin dance skirt shoulder straps on the shoulders.Twelve little girls in short skirts, about fifteen or sixteen years old, their short shirts didn't reach the navel, revealing a tender waist.With heavy makeup on her face, her childishness cannot be concealed, and there are decorative feathers on her head.We seem to have arrived at a luxurious and sensual place.Seeing this situation, Ding Yongchang couldn't bear his footsteps anymore, he walked straight towards Xu Hong, and came in front of Xu Hong with the fastest speed he could achieve.

Xu Hong was surprised, but she didn't show any signs of expression. She smiled attentively and said, "Abba, you're back. How's your leg? Come, sit here." Everyone saw Ding Yongchang's plaster cast. Lame.Xu Hong stepped aside and moved a small chair forward.

Ding Yongchang replied coldly: "I'm not lame yet, I can still stand. Tell me, what's going on?" He pointed to the group of young girls behind him.

Xu Hong smiled shyly, unable to hide her pride, "This is a new actor I found outside. Dad, you don't know, people like this now, your old-fashioned Gezai opera is outdated." As soon as he said it, he realized that Ding Yongchang definitely didn't like to hear this, and immediately explained: "I mean it's fashionable now, and our silver package has doubled this month."

With a gloomy face, Ding Yongchang asked again: "Where's Jianjun?" Not only did Ding Jianjun disappear, but even the old Gezai opera actors who had been following him disappeared.

"He..." Xu Hong faltered.

"He's not here?" Ding Yongchang frowned.

"Yes, it was still here just now."

Ding Yongchang obviously didn't believe her, and stared at Xu Hong with sharp eyes.Such eyes are as sharp as a mirror, reflecting vulnerable lies one by one from Xu Hong's flickering eyes.He didn't say anything, but Xu Hong surrendered.

"That's right, we ordered a few sets of dance dresses, and he took them." She paused for a moment, then simply poured them all out, "I thought it wouldn't be a long-term solution for actors who always rent other people's costumes, The solution once and for all is to train our own actors to buy our own costumes. I thought that if you disagree, then sell the costumes. Anyway, this is a business that is always profitable. I also think about the theater troupe. I didn’t expect you Come back so soon."

It's really like a new chess game in the world. I didn't expect that after half a month away, the theater troupe changed its appearance, and it almost became a song and dance troupe.Yu Minxiu and I looked at each other, exchanging emotions in our eyes, and we were still holding her suitcase and a lot of messy things in our hands.

Ding Yongchang didn't speak for a long time, and I could feel his oppressive atmosphere around me.After a long time, he said: "Jianjun came back and asked him to come to me." After speaking, he left with his crutches.The figure hangs and floats like his lame leg.

Thinking that Ding Yongchang would no longer care about these trivial matters, Wang Yugui was already devastated, so I naturally brought Yu Minxiu to my bed.After moving to Wutong Town, this is our permanent residence.Ding Yongchang rented a large courtyard next to the Zhengong Temple. The kitchen is on the west side, and there is a small room about [-] square meters.The other large rooms are made into small dormitories for four people.The big yard is the practice field on weekdays.The wheels of the suitcase creaked as they rolled over the ground, and the colorful lights of the stage shone from the courtyard wall far away, reflecting the shadows of trees riddled with holes.

"It seems that you are the only one who has wronged you to sleep with me tonight." I said to her slightly apologetically.In fact, setting up a simple bed is a breeze for those of us who travel all the year round, but I thought to myself that since she is new here, she has the closest relationship with me, and she will not be able to find a second place to stay tonight no matter what. So much.Thinking of the small bed that was only one foot and five wide, we would sleep next to each other on it, and I couldn't move my hands to help her make the bed again.

Although she was not used to it, she still smiled, "Fortunately, you took me in."

In order to make up for the guilt of my conspiracy, I took out the washbasin from under the bed and handed it to her, asking her to wash her face, and then we went backstage again.

Ding Jianjun has returned.Standing in front of him, Ding Yongchang stabbed the package on the ground fiercely with his crutches.The weight of the body is all on the right limb, making his movements look distorted.One corner opened to reveal the chiffon and lace clothing inside.

"Look at what's going on here," he poked hard twice again, "Does Gezai Opera need to rely on these nondescript things to maintain it? Have you forgotten what I told you before?" ?”

"I tried to persuade my eldest brother, but he didn't listen, and said that he did it for the development of the troupe." Ding Jianye complained.Ding Yongchang glanced at him and said nothing.Ding Jianjun lowered his head and did not reply.Wang Yugui knew that this criticism was likely to last for a long time, so she pulled a box behind her and asked Ding Yongchang to sit on it.

"I told you that our Gezai Opera pays homage to the patriarch for a day, and what we eat all our lives is the food that the patriarch rewards us. Isn't your doing the same as discrediting the master's family and deceiving the master and destroying the ancestors?"

"Abba, I'm sorry." Ding Jianjun apologized earnestly.

Wang Yugui stroked his back with one hand, probably feeling a pity.Ding Yongchang has acted in Gezai opera all his life, but in the end he couldn't even keep the troupe he worked so hard to create, what a pity it should be!

"Abba, I dare not agree with you saying that." Xu Hong protested softly.

Ding Yongchang raised his eyebrows, and said sarcastically: "Is there anything you dare not do? I think you are very courageous. You said that these are the newly recruited actors you have found outside, but what about the old ones? You forced Is it reasonable for you to let others go to dance these sex dances?"

Probably no one has ever criticized her so harshly since she married into Ding's family. Ding Jianjun is also a strict wife who loves his wife and obeys orders, not to mention that she doesn't think these are nonsense.Such a righteous but wronged accusation made her unable to help crying for herself.She said: "I do this to make the troupe develop better. Our performances are also serious performances. The money we earn is also the money we have worked hard to perform. It is not a dirty trick. Why not? It's four, why did you bully the teacher and destroy the ancestors? Dad, you know how declining Gezai opera is now. Those old stories are only liked by those old antiques. Now it is the young people who make money, and it is also the young people who spend money. Everyone Willing to spend money to see beautiful girls dance, if we don’t follow suit and cater to the taste of the audience, are we going to starve to death? Look at these people,” she pointed to the old opera actors from a few troupes in the distance, “ I followed the opera troupe all year round, and the result? There is only the pitifully small dividend, which is not enough to support the family, let alone marry a wife and have children."

Xu Hong talked more and more vigorously, as if it was a heinous crime to follow Ding Yongchang. Ding Jianjun wanted to stop her, but she ignored him at all.She went on to say: "You pull me and I have to talk today. I had the idea of ​​developing this song and dance troupe long ago, but I always wanted to respect my father." She looked at Ding Yongchang, and in order to show her true respect, she also Pausing deliberately for a moment, "I didn't say it. But now, you have seen the results, and you have received the money. We have made twice as much money as we did in the past without any effort. Is it because of that stupidity? What’s more, the money is really clean. It’s the same performance, why do you have to stick to the external form of performance?” She ended her long speech with a domineering rhetorical question.