Tranquility

The people in the room suddenly started whispering. Tangning looked at Tang Mu moved. No matter what, when everyone doubted her, the one who stood by her unswervingly would always be his closest relative.Tang Mu's trust gave Tangning courage. He straightened his back and met everyone's gaze.

"I didn't. I didn't even know how my brother fell into the well. I was practicing calligraphy in the Westinghouse until I heard my mother's voice before I went out. I also met Aunt Zhang at the door. I didn't have time to harm my brother. And I have no reason to harm him. Two days ago, I went to see a doctor for my younger brother. Today, I brought him here. Our family doesn’t have much money. Could it be that I framed my younger brother because of my family property? It’s ridiculous. , even if I want to harm my brother, I am stupid enough to choose a daytime, when there are guests at home, or do I do it when there are guests at home, or this method will be discovered immediately; finally, my well is usually covered with slate, so big A stone slab, how can a child like me move it away, unless someone forgot to cover the manhole by himself." As he spoke, he looked at Aunt Tang pointingly. Well, he, Tangning, is not someone who can be bullied at will!

Tang Ning's words made the room silent, but Mrs. Tang said angrily, "You sneaked to the well to push my brother down while I was in the house, and then sneaked back to pretend you didn't know anything."

Hearing these nondescript words, Tang Ning was even more sure that Mrs. Tang had lost her mind. However, this was no reason for her to attack him. He raised his head and looked directly at his stepmother. A sneer slipped from the corner of his mouth, and he said solemnly:

"It's the time to melt the snow. If I go to the well, there will be mud on my feet. When I go back to the house, there will be traces on the ground. Everyone knows that this soil is different from the dry soil at home. As soon as the younger brother fell into the water, the mother heard that he ran over, which means that my time here is very short, and I don’t have time to change my shoes to clean up the traces. Everyone can go to the Westinghouse to see if there are any traces; besides, as I just said, I How could it be possible to push the stone slab?"

As soon as Tangning said this, everyone nodded their heads. They didn't believe that a ten-year-old child would murder his own brother. The people in the village are very simple, and they have never encountered a murder case in their life. In their hearts, it would never happen in real life. middle.

Auntie Tang heard that Tang Ning mentioned the stone slab twice, poking at her dead point, her chest ached like her heart was being dug out, and her madness once again blinded her reason: "It's you! I took your mother's hairpin, you hold a grudge, revenge my son!"

Tang Ning sighed inwardly, how stupid he must be to expose his shortcomings, he immediately seized this opportunity, swaying his body as if he was on the verge of falling, he was still wearing wet clothes, but he couldn't hold on anymore without pretending, he complained Looking at Aunt Tang carefully:

"Mother's relics have always been kept with my father. How do I know that you took my mother's relics? I know you did this to raise money for your younger brother's medical treatment. In fact, even if you don't tell me, I plan to take it out." Mother’s relics are given to my younger brother to see a doctor, after all, what is more valuable than my younger brother’s life?”

What he said was so affectionate and reasonable that everyone looked at him with sympathy.

"I didn't expect that, seeing Mrs. Tang's gentle and gentle appearance on weekdays, she is even better for the three Tang Mu brothers. Who knows that she is like this behind the scenes, tsk tsk."

"No, it's not true that it's not her own. How many good stepmothers can there be?"

"The stepmother's displeasure is written all over her face, but the brothers and sisters of the Tang family have one thing on the outside and another on the other side. They really have deep thoughts."

"Shhh, please save some morals. It's not easy for her own son to die just now."

Seeing the situation, the village chief couldn't control himself, so he tapped the table several times with his pipe. After all, he was the village chief, and the villagers respected him very much. The surroundings gradually became quiet again. Tangning and Mrs. Tang stopped talking, and everyone watched. The village head, let him be the master.

The village chief frowned and took a puff of his cigarette, tapped Zhang Ergou's house with his chin, and asked, "You've been here all the time, tell me what's going on?"

Zhang Ergou's family lowered their heads, knowing that there was no way they could escape this time, and felt uneasy, but she didn't dare to lie, so she had to bite the bullet and said: "The day before yesterday, Mrs. Tang asked me to inquire about a doctor named Lu in the town. I just got the news at noon today, so I came over and talked to her. When I entered the door, she was washing clothes by the well, and Shubol was playing beside her. Before I could speak, she hurriedly dragged me into the house. , I was only thinking about my own thoughts at the time, oh, I’m so sorry, I really forgot about Shuanzi, oh, sister-in-law, I’m sorry for you..."

When Tangning heard the reason, there was only one sentence in her heart: I did my own crimes, so I can't live.If it weren't for Mrs. Tang's villainous heart, afraid that he would hear it, she hurriedly dragged Zhang Ergou's family to the house to whisper, she would not have forgotten Shuanzi by the well, and she would not have forgotten to cover the stone slab. The disadvantages in this life are due to being too small-minded and too shrewd.Zhang Ergou's family is a responsible person. It is obviously not all her fault but she has the courage to bear it. Usually, I have misjudged her.In comparison, Mrs. Tang was much inferior. It was obviously her fault, but because she couldn't bear the psychological pressure of killing her son, she recklessly blamed others. Could it be that she could feel at ease by blaming others for the crime?

Obviously, there are many people who think like Tangning. Everyone has experienced many things. Auntie Tang's thoughts can be understood at a glance, but everyone is a kind person. After all, she just died. He didn't say anything, and the room continued to be quiet, except for Zhang Ergou's strong crying.

Mrs. Tang didn't give up, she opened her mouth and said, "It's no use just saying I'm sorry, my son will never come back..."

Suddenly, there was a crisp sound of "pa", and the room was suddenly silent. Mrs. Tang covered her face and looked at the angry Carpenter Tang in surprise. It seemed that he realized that he had said something incredible.In short, the aura around her seemed to be broken by this slap, and she sat back on the kang listlessly, hugging her son and weeping.

Carpenter Tang felt very sad when he heard what Zhang Ergou’s family said. His son died because of a negligence. If he got sick and died, he would be sad but not in pain. But his son didn't deserve to die. He wanted to beat up Aunt Tang, and scolded her with the most comforting words he could think of, but seeing her at the moment, he couldn't open his mouth when the words came to his lips. , Shuanzi is also her son, she is only more uncomfortable than him.

Tang Ning looked at Carpenter Tang's softened arm, and sneered in her heart. He could forgive his stepmother for making such a big mistake, but she was only blamed by a crazy word, but she was suspected without hesitation. After becoming a stepfather, the poor man must have something to hate.

The village head broke the silence with a long sigh, and waved his hands, "Now that the matter has been clarified, everyone should leave, and don't gossip about this matter today. Although this matter is the Tang family's housework, it is also our village's business." Internal affairs, if you want me to know who is gossiping around, you will definitely be dragged to the ancestral hall."

After everyone had dispersed, the village head turned back and patted Carpenter Tang and said, "Today's incident was an accident. It was God's will. Don't be too sad. You still have three sons. Don't blame your wife. The one in the village I don't know how many children have been drowned in the river, and the women in the family can't stand it, no one complains about this, God's will!"

Then he turned to Mrs. Tang, straightened her voice and said, "Master Tang, you feel sad about losing your son, and everyone can understand. But it's wrong for you to wrong people indiscriminately. The third boy is also your son. You wronged him like this. Didn't he ever think that this would ruin his life? Fortunately, he has read some books and knows how to defend himself. Otherwise, wouldn't it be another life? Even if he saves his life, it will be difficult for him to study and make progress in the future, and he will be killed by carrying on his back Brother's reputation will last forever, how can you bear it?"

After finishing speaking, he himself also felt that it was boring. Several stepmothers put their stepson at ease, so he shook his head and walked out of the Tang family's courtyard on his own.

The long afternoon finally passed. When Tang Yun came back with a full load, it was already dark. When he heard his younger brother's death and Tang Mu's account of the whole afternoon, he was silent for a while, turned around and went to the east room, and put the neck on his neck. His mace was taken off and hung around his brother's neck.

The wolf tooth was the first old wolf he met in the mountains last year and was abandoned by the wolves. He fought that wolf to get it. He wanted to give it to Tangning, but Tangning didn't want it, so he hung it around his neck all the time.Mrs. Tang did not reject Langya, because Langya is the best funeral object, which can suppress ghosts and exorcise evil spirits.Although she took the things, she didn't have anything good to say. She accused Tang Yun of being cold-blooded. She didn't even shed a tear when her younger brother died. She knew that offending Tang Ning meant that she and the three brothers had completely torn her face. fall.

Tang Yun didn't say anything, didn't even look at her, and went straight out of the east room.Tangning greeted her second brother at the door of Westinghouse, pulled his hand and said, "Second brother is not cold-blooded, I know that."

He knew that the second brother was not sad, but his sadness was never expressed with tears.

Tang Yun patted his head gently. In the past four years, Tang Yun was as tall as a bamboo joint. He had pulled out several joints, which made him thinner. He was exposed to the sun and rain all year round, and his skin color was similar to that of black people. After a fight, fortunately, he has big and flexible eyes, which add a lot of color.

However, at this moment, those big eyes were filled with dark clouds, and they looked at Tangning firmly, "Mao'er, don't give any money we earn from now on to Dad. Big brother will definitely give the money to Dad if he is soft-hearted. Don't be soft-hearted."

Tang Ning looked at Tang Mu's thin and serious face, and suddenly smiled, his childish face revealed a peerless elegance, and he said coquettishly, "Second brother, how many times have I told you that I have grown up, you are not allowed to shoot me Don’t call me a cat.” Then he covered his head to prevent the second brother from hitting him on the head like before, but this time he couldn’t wait for the second brother’s action, so he lowered his arms and raised his head, looking Seeing the second brother in a daze, thinking that he was sad about his brother's death, he was about to comfort him, but he heard the second brother's worried voice: "San'er, don't laugh casually in front of outsiders from now on."

Tangning looked at her second brother suspiciously, and was about to ask a question when the door was suddenly pushed open. Tang Mu walked in dejectedly, looked at the puzzled faces of his younger brothers, and said with a sob:

"Father was breaking the coffin for Shuanzi. I wanted to help, but he drove me out."

After speaking, there was silence in the dark room.

In the silent night, only the sound of "Ding, Ding, Ding" was left, one by one, knocking on the hearts of everyone in the Tang family. It was the last farewell of a father to his son.