Battle of the Rhine

As a result, the two quarreled again before going up the mountain.Quincy asked Michael to wear those horrible white socks with the trousers wrapped in them. "I refuse," Michael folded his arms. "I'll never wear stockings."

"Put it on," Quincy commanded, "Put it on!"

"No, men don't wear stockings!"

"The hills are full of grass, and the ticks in the grass will suck your blood—"

"I've never seen a tick—"

"Don't make excuses," Quincy said, throwing the pair of white socks on Michael. "Don't go up the hill to see your church without them."

Michael compromised.He'd seen ticks, the disgusting things that lay on cows and sucked blood.He used to use a lighter to burn ticks when he was bored.People who were bitten by that bug would really die, and he didn't dare to take the risk.Quincy put on his socks too.He looked good in it, showing off the thin line of his calves and ankles.The wind blows through the grass in the afternoon of August, and the white clouds move slowly, casting shadows.There was silence all around, Michael picked up a branch, then stretched out his hand, motioning for Quincy to hold it.

"I can walk by myself."

"No."

"Give me the branch."

"No."

Quincy smacked Michael's hand hard, then grabbed it.Michael kept beating the grass with the branches, and the insects flew up like a cloud.The path leading to the church was full of rubble. Michael kicked away the stones and looked back at Quincy seriously, "... There is a bee in your hair."

"No."

"Have."

"Don't try to do bad things." Quincy pushed away Michael, who was approaching. "Maybe there are church members who are as boring as you here, driving for hours just to look at the abandoned church."

"The church is a very sacred building." Michael said earnestly, "Also, you actually have a bee in your hair."

The church is on the mountainside, in a typical Gothic style, dilapidated, and the cross on the spire has long since disappeared.In summer, the climate in the mountainous area is complex and changeable, the clouds suddenly gathered and there were showers. "It must be full of rats." Quincy stood hesitantly at the door of the church, her blond hair sticking to her forehead, "and it could collapse at any time."

"No," Michael said firmly. "God is merciful."

Quincy sneered. Although he went to church every Sunday, he still claimed to be completely devoted to atheism.In the church, the pews were scattered all over the place, and the plants poked out from the cracks in the floorboards, and some vines had tiny white flowers.Stained glass shattered like solidified paint.The icon of the crucifixion of Jesus was almost undamaged, but it was covered with thick dust. "Look," Michael said, "this is the Holy Land."

"Aren't you going to kneel to participate in the ceremony?" Quincy sneered, "Oh, it's a pity that the holy miracle was not shown on the kneeling stool... You're going to kneel on the broken glass to express your devotion to God."

"If there is a kneeling stool, are you ready to attend the ceremony?"

"I'll put my feet on the kneeling stool and shine my shoes."

"Carl," Michael picked up a few pieces of broken glass with his hands and put them on the altar, "come here."

"What do you want?" Quincy looked wary, "I won't kneel down and pray with you."

Michael grabbed Quincy's arm and dragged him across.He fell to his knees and muttered a prayer in the dust.When the prayers were over and he stood up, Quincy was staring at the image of Jesus, his lips tightly pressed together.

"I beg him to forgive you." Michael gently held Quincy's shoulders, feeling the person in his arms trembling slightly.

"I don't need his forgiveness—he'll torment me and say, 'The LORD waits to be gracious to you; he rises up to have mercy on you, for the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait on him The people will live in Zion and in Jerusalem. Do not weep, for the Lord will give you grace at the sound of your cry. When he hears, he will answer you. Though the Lord will give you bread with hardship, He will give you bread with affliction. water, your teacher will hide no more, and your eyes will see your teacher. Turn to the left or to the right, and you will hear a voice behind you saying: This is the right way, walk in it. 'Listen! Difficulties are Bread, misery is water... From this point of view, he really gave me a lot of things - why don't you beg for his forgiveness?"

"Because I'm a bad guy and don't need forgiveness. I'm willing to go to hell." Michael smiled quietly. "When I was a little boy, I prayed to God to wake up my mother." Also looking at the Jesus statue, "I pray every day , until my mother's coffin was in the ground, I was still praying. I even went to the cemetery and scraped the earth to see if my mother was alive-old Mike beat me, and my mother was no longer a target , he can justifiably beat me up."

Quincy stroked Michael's back slowly, where there was a deep scar. "I don't understand. Why didn't my mother come back to life? I prayed to God. The pastor at the church is not as articulate as my grandma, he's a drunk and has a red nose. My grandma said, 'Oh, poor boy, actually It's a good thing your mother's dead—she's finally going to heaven.'"

"The scriptures are all deceitful," said Quincy, with a much gentler tone, "but I believe that your mother really went to heaven."

"She's a nice woman, but she married old Mike." Michael shrugged. "I can't remember what she looks like, actually. But I remember her smell, the smell of bad soap, so that smell Gives me peace of mind. Her hands are big, rough on the palms and backs, but so warm. She hugs me and wipes my face with her hands... I always eat my face, milk is sold for money, and old Mike is a A miser, he can't bear to give his son milk."

"My mother wipes my face with a handkerchief," said Quincy wistfully, lowering her eyes. "She puts the handkerchief in a very strong perfume, and it smells bad. I had a big fight with her after she gave birth to Charlie." It was awkward for a while. I went on a hunger strike and asked her to throw Charlie out to the bakery owner. She scratched my nose with her finger and said, 'Charlie is a gift from Maria...you should love her , she will love you in the future.'”

"Charlie really loves you." Michael said softly.

"Yes, she is the best gift my mother gave me." Quincy smiled, "Of course, it has nothing to do with Maria."

"You." Michael scratched Quincy's nose. "Fuck, your nose is taller than mine...you're better than me in everything."

Quincy raised his chin and pushed the tip of his nose away from Michael's fingers. "The reason is simple, because I'm a college student."

"Okay." Michael touched his pocket and took out a small velvet box, "So, college students..." scratched his nose, then scratched the back of his head, "Damn it," Michael muttered, "I forgot what to say ! But—" He opened the box and took out the ring inside, "I...I love you. So..."

He was sweating profusely, firmly grasped Quincy's hand, and put the ring on Quincy's left ring finger with the utmost strength, "Well, look—"

"What does that mean?" Quincy raised his hand. "Mike, what does that mean?"

"That's what it means," Michael said loudly. "In the presence of God, you wear the ring I gave you. And I just swore to be good to you, loyal to you, and what else..." He hurriedly glanced at Quincy's expression. Fortunately, the college student didn't get angry. He threw away the ring and stepped on it a few times, "I'll give you all my money! My certificate is also with you...I love you , I love you more than Xia Li. If there is only the last sip of milk left, I will give it to you..."

"You're such an idiot," said Quincy. "You should have proposed first! I didn't say yes to—"

"If you propose marriage, you must say 'no'. I'm not stupid enough to..."

Quincy sighed helplessly, "We are illegal, and your Lord is hostile to people like me—even if I wear a ring, it is invalid, understand?"

"If God didn't send a thunderbolt, it means that he agreed."

"That's because there's no damn thing—"

A ray of sunlight came in, straight through the broken window, and hit the bottom of the statue of Jesus. "The rain has stopped," Michael said pleasantly. "Carl, the rain has stopped and the sun has come out... God is merciful, He has forgiven you! I knew it..."

They went down the mountain holding hands. The air after the rain was extremely fresh, and white and yellow butterflies were flying everywhere. "I once thought," Quincy said as he got into the car, lowering his head and twiddling his fingers, "as long as I don't ask you for it, I won't be in pain."

"It's my fault." Michael took Quincy's left hand and rubbed it, "Well, I'm not a college student after all, you know."

"Yes, that's right, but I didn't expect you to be so stupid." Quincy tilted her head, a few strands of hair curled up, "Idiot, where is your ring?"

Michael patted his chest, where Quincy's military badge hung, "I don't need to wear a ring—I've already worn it in my heart."