At this time, Li Suhua was putting away shoe soles in the back room of her home. When she heard the creaking sound of the door opening, she poked her head out and asked, "Kun'er is back?
Where did you go this afternoon? I went out early in the morning and I didn’t eat anything. I must be hungry.”
After entering, Qian Wen dusted himself off and exhaled, "I went out to hang out for a while.
What delicious food did you cook? I’m so hungry.”
"I know how to run around in one day.
Forget what your father said when he left. Read more books when you have nothing to do. Your brother and sister left you a large box of books when they left, but you didn't take them out to read." Li Suhua came out of the back room and saw Qian Wen patting his hands.
In spite of the cold air and dust that had just entered the room, I started to help him as if to blame, but the first few times my hands were a little harder.
Reading? He will definitely read it when he has time, but now he is chasing his wife, putting it off, putting it off, putting everything aside.
Qian Wen laughed, "My brother has been working to build the Corps for a while. This letter should be arriving soon."
When leaving home, Li Suhua warned Zhou Bingyi that when he arrived at the Construction Corps, he must take the time to write a letter home to report that he was safe and reassure her.
Counting the time, the letter should be arriving soon.
Talking about this, Li Suhua suddenly forgot about Qian Wen's disappearance early in the morning, and began to mutter, "It's time to arrive, but today I met the messenger at the alley and said there was no one for us.
This Bingyi also didn't let me worry. I was slow to send letters and didn't know how to send a telegram to my family to say that I was safe. This made me worry every day, and my heart was pounding.
Kun'er, you said nothing can happen to your brother."
The more he said it, the more outrageous it became. It seemed that he was too busy at home, thinking wildly every day, "Hurry up, bah bah bah, it's unlucky."
When my brother left, you told me not to send him a telegram because it was too expensive, so you said he could send it as early as one day or as late as possible.
Is this what you said and you forgot about it?
Besides, my brother went to the Construction Corps. My dad didn’t tell me. He was almost the same as the army. How could something happen?
I’m just thinking nonsense every day, scaring myself.”
As soon as the lid of the large pot on the stove was opened, the heat spread upwards along the wall, and the house suddenly became foggy. Qian Wen waved the white steam in front of his eyes and put his hand to serve the meal.
Today we ate vegetable dumplings, pickles, and vegetable leaf porridge.
I sprinkled some salt grains into the bowl, stirred it, and ate it.
He is already used to this food. In fact, it has a different flavor once he gets used to it.
"Isn't it cool? I've been sprinkling salt these days, and my mother's cooking has become bland?
Mom also knows that your brother is definitely fine. Isn’t it because the letter hasn’t arrived yet and she keeps thinking about it in her heart?”
Qian Wen put a few white radish and pickles into the dumplings and ate them like hamburgers. He said with a smile, "The pickles are quite tasty."
Li Suhua stopped talking about her eldest son. She just expressed her thoughts. The originally bustling home suddenly became deserted. No wonder.
Looking at her younger son who was eating vegetable dumplings and drinking vegetable leaf porridge, he swallowed the food in his mouth and said, "I know you are craving for meat. It's next month soon. If you have the meat ticket, mom will make braised pork for you."
You and your sister can satisfy your cravings.
There is still some lard at home. Mom will take some out tomorrow and cook some to satisfy your cravings first."
Qian Wen listened with a smile, his simple and thoughtful words made his heart warm unconsciously.
This era is characterized by material scarcity, but there is a purity that cannot be compared to modern times.
After eating a few mouthfuls, Zhou's mother started talking about it again. This time she became Zhou Rong. She had been worried about it just a few days ago.
"You said your sister is a girl, can she bear the pain of jumping in line?" Mother Zhou worried and sighed.
"Times have changed. Men and women are the same. I don't think the younger sister has any problem." Qian Wen drank the last mouthful of porridge from the bottom of the bowl and said vaguely.
Li Suhua had sharp ears and rolled her eyes at him, "It's okay to say this outside, but I'm using it to fool your mother.
In different times, it is difficult for women to compare with men.
Your sister just made a mistake for a while, and it will get better after a while. Don't hold on to this matter all the time. You have said it so many times, you are the youngest in the family, and you have let outsiders laugh at our old Zhou family.
"
Qian Wen shrugged and did not express an opinion.
Mother Zhou was worried about Zhou Rong for a while. It didn't matter to her whether Qian Wen responded or not, she just felt better after saying it.
After mumbling for a while, Mother Zhou thought of something, "That's right.
It's almost the end of the month, and the jobs assigned to children living in the city should be available soon. I asked the director of the sub-district office today that you will be included in this batch.
I don’t know what kind of job it is, but I just don’t want to be too tired.”
Qian Wen was startled. His job had been reduced and he was going to take up the post with honor?
He is not averse to work. After all, in this era, the result of idleness is the spread of rumors behind his back. Moreover, there is no entertainment, and there is nothing to do in his spare time. It would be better to have a job.
It’s just that in the play, Zhou Bingkun’s job is as a feeder in a lumber factory, that is, someone who carries lumber, the kind of logs that are made from whole trees that are several meters long.
He is not lacking in energy, but he doesn't want to do this hard work, but he can't make the decision above.
I scratched my head and realized that work is always a worry.
Now it is a carrot and a pit, all positions are arranged, he is thinking quickly, but in the unfamiliar background of 1969, he has nowhere to use his energy.
"Lumber factory?" Qian Wen muttered.
"You mean spreading?" Zhou's mother asked, not hearing clearly.
"Oh, it's nothing. I said I am a brick. I can move it wherever it is needed and obey the distribution arrangements."
"I can indeed speak better than before."
There was no mobile phone, no TV, no wife, and Qian Wen had nothing to occupy his time with, so he dug out the book Zhou Bingyi asked him to hide when he left and started reading.
The second day.
Qian Wen appeared opposite the Zheng family's stall again.
Zheng's mother recognized him at a glance and wanted to come forward to say hello, but Zheng Juan stopped her.
The two of them nodded across the street and went on to do their own thing.
Qian Wen took out a large log that had been processed and held a pencil in his hand. He looked at Zheng Juan who was doing business opposite without any concealment and began to sketch.
opposite.
"Juan'er, you really don't know that young man?" Zheng's mother asked strangely.
Zheng Juan, who was tucking her brother Guangming's clothes, raised her head and glanced at Qian Wen across the road, said nothing, and shook her head.
In fact, she was quite strange and curious in her heart, but they had never met each other before, and they had never spoken a word to each other. She was a woman, so how could she ask, "Why do you keep looking at me?"
If the elders or younger ones in the family dare to cause trouble, just take a look at them, as long as they don't embarrass their family.
Besides, it seemed that wood carvings were being carved on the opposite side, and she felt a little bit of anticipation in her heart.
She put her hand into her pocket and felt the touch of her fingertips. She carried yesterday's wooden carving with her. In addition to liking it very much, she also wanted to prevent the person from yesterday from asking for it. A worthless candied haws cannot be exchanged for such an exquisite portrait.
Time passed little by little.
Just like yesterday, when the Zheng family was selling candied haws, Qian Wen was quietly carving the wood carvings in his hands. He didn't recognize them yesterday, and he still doesn't recognize them today.
The wood chips were blown down by the cold wind, and Qian Wen kept carving bit by bit.
The Zheng family looked at him from time to time, with curiosity in their eyes. Qian Wen looked up at Zheng Juan from time to time, trying to carve the charm into it.
Today he is carving it according to the real person. Whatever Zheng Juan is wearing and what she looks like today, he will carve it exactly the same way, replicating it one to one and making a high imitation.
The wood carving is shaped in the hands, polished with fine sandpaper, and wiped with a soft cloth.
At noon, just like yesterday, I walked over with the wooden carving.
Zheng's mother looked at them but said nothing. She seemed to understand something, and her eyes lingered on Qian Wen and Zheng Juan. Her main gaze was on Qian Wen, looking for something.
"Candied haws on a stick?" Zheng Juan looked at Qian Wen walking to the stall and didn't know what to say. She seemed to understand something and dodged a little, trying to find something to say.
"Hmm." Qian Wen handed over the wood carving in his hand.
Zheng's mother and Zheng Juan looked at the wooden sculpture, and their eyes lit up. It looked so much like a real person.
Today's Zheng Juan is wearing a flower coat. Although she is not as beautiful and stunning as yesterday's Zheng Juan in a palace skirt, she is more simple and real.
Zheng Juan had stars in her eyes, she liked it very much.
But she couldn't take it, so she stuttered, "Two...two cents."
He held the candied haws firmly in his hand, as if he wouldn't sell it if he didn't give me the money, but he couldn't help but look at the wood carving.
The corners of Qian Wen's mouth raised, "Yeah."
Taking out two cents and handing them over, Zheng Juan felt relieved, but felt a sense of disappointment in her heart for no reason.
He clasped the candied haws stick in his hand, hesitated, and handed it over.
Qian Wen took the candied haws, put down the wooden sculpture, and turned around to leave.
It’s the same as yesterday, but different. The first thing the two said today was, candied haws of sugar haws? Hmm!
Zheng Juan was stunned and hurriedly called Qian Wen, "Your wood carving~"
But Qian Wen didn't even look back and left.
Zheng's mother took the wooden carving of Zheng Juan wearing today's flower coat and touched it carefully, "Today's one looks better than yesterday's."
Zheng Juan said nothing, took the wooden carving, took out the wooden carving of the palace skirt from her pocket, and looked at it. She didn't know what she was thinking, but her eyes were a little dazed.
“They all look good.
Our Juan is beautiful." Mother Zheng looked at the two wooden sculptures and said with a smile.
"What's good about mother?" Guangming, who was sitting next to her, asked.
"The person who made the wood carving for your sister yesterday is here again, and she gave her another wood carving today."
"Oh, are the wood carvings good-looking?" the invisible Guangming asked curiously.
"It looks good." Zheng Juan said, putting the two wood carvings in her younger brother Guangming's hands and letting him rub them. However, she walked to the other side of the road and came to the place where Qian Wen had just carved the wood carvings. She squatted down and picked up what fell on the ground.
Falling sawdust, he murmured, "Extremely carved?"
The seeds planted yesterday are watered with sweet springs today and are showing signs of germination.
The third day.
Qian Wen arrived as promised.
It's still the same place, still facing each other across the road.
Qian Wen's quiet and silent carving.
Zheng Juan was busy with her family's small business. During her free time, she glanced at Qian Wen opposite, feeling hopeful but timid at the same time.
Today’s carving is of Zheng Juan, who is dressed in modern clothes. He sketched it in his mind, composed the picture on the cylindrical wood in his hand, and carved out the look in his mind little by little.
Same noon.
Qian Wen stood in front of the stall and handed over the wood carving in his hand.
As Mother Zheng watched, even Guangming knew Qian Wen was coming and listened attentively.
But Zheng Juan glanced at Qian Wen, then at the wooden sculpture, lowered her head, not letting anyone see the look in her eyes, and whispered, "No... no more."
Is the candied haws gone?
Mother Zheng was stunned for a moment, and then she was about to take the candied haws from the box, but Zheng Juan pressed her hand down.
"Juan'er~" Mother Zheng was puzzled.
I obviously like those two wooden sculptures very much. I couldn't put them down when I went home. I would wrap them in soft cloth and put them away when I went to bed.
"Yeah." Qian Wen said, put down the wood carving and turned around to leave.
When Zheng Juan saw this, she looked at Qian Wen's figure, bit her teeth, and caught up with the wooden sculpture in front of her.
"Where is sister?" The invisible Guangming's ears twitched slightly, and he asked strangely as he heard the familiar footsteps moving away.
She could tell that this young man who had been here for three days and gave away wood carvings for three days should like their Juan'er, but their Juan'er was a little strange. The young man looked like Zhou Zheng, and he looked quite comfortable, not like
Bad guy.
Qian Wen was always a few steps ahead of Zheng Juan who was chasing him. On the crowded street, Zheng Juan lost track of Qian Wen in a flash.
She went back with the wood carving.
Looking at myself in the modern clothes in my hands, I look quite novel and beautiful, but I don’t have the clothes.
She turned around and didn't think about it anymore, because she didn't have a palace skirt either.
Holding the wood carving in her hands, she felt complicated, thinking about Qian Wen, a man who didn't speak more than three sentences and whose name she didn't even know.
Suddenly, the woodcarving in his hand covered his chest, and his heartbeat slowly accelerated, beating faster and faster.
The seeds that were ready to move sprouted.
Day four.
Qian Wen arrived at his old place.
But what surprised him was that Zheng Juan's family was not there, and the place where they set up their stall was empty.
He looked around and asked, "Are you late?"
Qian Wen waited on the spot and started carving the wood carving in his hand.
Today, he planned to sculpt Zheng Juan in ancient costume.
But as he continued, he stopped because an hour passed and Zheng Juan's family still hadn't arrived, and even the original stall was occupied by others.
"Sick?" He put away the wood carving and turned around to walk to Zheng Juan's house in Taiping Hutong.
After so many days, he had already found Zheng Juan's house.
When he arrived at Zheng Juan's house, Qian Wen stopped and knocked on the door. What was his identity?
Listening carefully, there was no sound at all from Zheng Juan's house. After waiting for a while, he took a few steps closer and looked into the small courtyard. The door of Zheng Juan's house was locked.
"I'm not here, have you left the stall?" Qian Wen thought in his mind.
Qian Wen was a little surprised, but not surprised at the same time, why this situation happened. A strange man would give him wood carvings every day without saying a word. Either he liked him or he felt a sense of crisis.
Now it seems that he has frightened Zheng Juan's family.
Qian Wen scratched his head and said, "It shouldn't be."
Was he going to die before he left the battlefield?
Zheng Juan, you don’t respect martial ethics and don’t play your cards according to routines.
"I, a time traveler, am so shameless."
Qian Wen muttering to himself turned around and walked out of Taiping Hutong. In fact, in the past three days, today is the fourth day, he has fallen in love with Zheng Juan. He is no longer looking for a good wife at the beginning and thinking about the mission.
For three days and three mornings, I watched Zheng Juan work diligently, sell things, take care of her mother, and take care of her younger brother. She didn't complain at all. Seeing all this, he, a modern time traveler, was deeply moved.
deep.
But you must know that Zheng Juan was not very old at that time, and she was about the same age as him. She was a young girl in her prime, just growing up next door.
When he planted a seed for Zheng Juan, he also planted a seed in his own heart.
He no longer chose Zheng Juan just because she was a good wife and mother in the play, but he really fell in love with Zheng Juan and felt pity for her.
When he arrived at the entrance of Taiping Hutong, Qian Wen stopped and looked around, wondering what he should do. Should he go find Zheng Juan's family, or should he leave first and not push too hard.
After standing still for a quarter of an hour, a cold wind woke him up. Qian Wen shrank his neck and made a decision in his heart.
We went home for dinner, and at five o'clock in the afternoon, Qian Wen appeared again at the entrance of Taiping Hutong. The stupid method was to wait and wait. This was also the most gentle method at present and the least likely to cause misunderstanding.
While waiting, Qian Wen took out the wood carving. The carving of Zheng Juan was dressed in ancient costume, delicate and graceful with a hint of heroism.
He had already carved it at home.
Holding a soft cloth, he wiped it gently bit by bit and waited for Zheng Juan's family.
Wait until it gets dark and the sound of creaking wooden carts appears.
Qian Wen's figure at the intersection also caught Zheng Juan's eyes, and she was stunned for a moment.
"Sister, what's wrong?" Guangming, who was helping to push the wooden cart, asked hurriedly when he realized that he couldn't push it anymore.
"Juan, which young man is he?" Mother Zheng said.
The stunned Zheng Juan said nothing and looked at Qian Wen.
Qian Wen did not hesitate, walked forward and came to Zheng Juan.
Just like the previous times, I handed over the wood carving in my hand.
But Zheng Juan didn't answer, but looked at him, "Why?"
Qian Wen smiled warmly and said, "I am the third son of Guangzi Film's old Zhou family.
My father is a third-line worker in college, my mother is an activist in the street office, my brother and sister are both top students, but they have already jumped in line, and I, Zhou Bingkun, am a good person and have no ill intentions."
Zheng Juan just looked at him and said, "Why?"
Qian Wen smiled and said, "Because I like you, it was love at first sight."
"Here, take it." The wooden sculpture in his hand was gently placed on the wooden cart. Qian Wen turned around and left without waiting for Zheng Juan to reply.
Zheng Juan just watched and watched Qian Wen go away and disappear.
"Juan'er..." Zheng's mother said.
"Mom, let's go home. It's getting late." Zheng Juan interrupted Zheng's mother.
As the trolley advanced to Taiping Hutong, Zheng Juan looked back at the direction Qian Wen left and touched the wooden sculpture in her arms.
The seeds that have sprouted are growing vigorously and have an unstoppable momentum.
Day five.
Qian Wen reappeared at the place where the Zheng family set up their stall early in the morning.
Zheng Juan's family is already selling candied haws.
Zheng's mother tugged at the corner of Zheng Juan's clothes, who was busy, "Here comes the young man."
Zheng Juan glanced at it and looked away, "Mom, we have a guest."
Qian Wen was still at his old place. Across the road, there were wood carvings, and he glanced at Zheng Juan from time to time.
The Zheng family was selling things as usual, no one bothered anyone, it was like nothing happened yesterday.
At noon, Qian Wen walked over and handed over the wood carving in his hand.
Zheng Juan didn't answer, Qian Wen gently placed it on the wooden cart, turned around and left.
But Qian Wen didn't feel disappointed at all, because he saw the suppressed emotions in Zheng Juan's big eyes.
Zheng Juan picked up the wood carving, rubbed it carefully, and murmured to herself, "Have I really waited?"
The seeds that grow vigorously break out of the ground and barely see the blue sky, white clouds, warm sun, and breeze.
Day 6.
Qian Wen and Zheng Juan arrived by appointment.
The two have formed a tacit understanding, and their feelings are brewing.
Even Guangming, who is blind, can feel the subtle changes in his sister.
Qian Wen carves every stroke carefully, but Zheng Juan is a little absent-minded today, always looking at Qian Wen and looking at her in a daze.
At noon, Qian Wen handed over the carved wooden sculpture. Zheng Juan pursed her red lips, lowered her head a little shyly, handed over a candied haws, and whispered, "My name is Zheng Juan."
Qian Wen took the candied haws and smiled happily, "My name is Zhou Bingkun."
"I know, you said it."
The two looked at each other, as if they had a lot to say, but they didn't know where to start.
The two were still for a while, and then a customer with a child came over and said, "A candied haws."
Qian Wen smiled and said, "See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow." Zheng Juan nodded.
She felt that time passed too slowly.
Sunny and rainy, the buds that have been watered grow little by little, become strong, and grow the first leaf, the second leaf, the third leaf... and the last flower bud appears on the top of the branch, ready to bloom.
Day 7.
The moon waxes and wanes, and the sky is unpredictable.
On the 31st, there was a heavy snowstorm, and the sun was covered with goose feathers.
The last day of this month.
"Kun'er~
What are you doing, it’s snowing so heavily, come back quickly~" Zhou’s mother, Li Suhua, shouted anxiously in the small courtyard of her home.
Qian Wen waved his hand, "Mom, go back quickly, I have something to do, something that must be done.
Don't worry, I'll be back before noon."
As he spoke, Qian Wen stood in the distance under the heavy snow with Li Suhua's uneasy eyes.
Qian Wen was walking on the way to his old place.
With such heavy snow, it was 100% likely that no one would leave the stall, but he still walked to the same place. He felt that someone would be waiting for him somewhere, and this would also determine his future attitude.
Braving the heavy snow, we arrived at the same place. The streets where people usually come and go were deserted.
Looking at that position, Qian Wen was silent.
Suddenly, "Cough cough cough~"
A series of low coughs were heard, and Qian Wen turned around. Where he had stood for six days, there was a man squatting behind a wall, hiding from the wind and snow.
Qian Wen raised the corner of his mouth and ran over.
Bang bang bang, the sound was so cold that my teeth trembled.
Zheng Juan squatted in the corner, her delicate body trembling slightly, half of her body covered with white snow.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, he looked up quickly and saw Qian Wen running towards him. He smiled as the flowers bloomed in the warmth of spring.
"I...I thought you weren't coming." Zheng Juan stood up, crossing her arms and saying tremblingly.
Qian Wen stood in front of her and suddenly opened his arms to hold the trembling Zheng Juan in his arms.
Zheng Juan was stunned for a moment, and then struggled subconsciously. Qian Wen hugged her tightly and said softly, "Are you stupid? There is such a heavy snow."
Zheng Juan stopped struggling and leaned quietly in his arms, "Don't we agree?"
"Is it cold?" This question is a bit silly.
Zheng Juan shook her head, then nodded again.
"I may not be able to carve a wooden statue for you today," Qian Wen said.
"It's okay, I already have six."
"I may not be able to come tomorrow.
The job assigned by above has been assigned, and I will go to work tomorrow."
As he expected, the sub-district office informed him that the job was at the lumber factory.
After Qian Wen found out, what else could he do besides blinking and continuing to eat, and let his life go on.
Zheng Juan, who heard the sound, was stunned and felt depressed, "Aren't you coming?"
Qian Wen suddenly said, "Let's be together.
I like you very much, let me take care of you."
Zheng Juan's downcast expression was still on her face, then her brows lit up with joy, but she was a little hesitant.
Qian Wen asked strangely, "What's wrong? Am I bad?"
You know, with such heavy snow and such cold weather, Zheng Juan's appearance here has already explained everything. Why is she still hesitating?
Zheng Juan looked at Qian Wen, studied it carefully, and then shook her head.
“During this period, the street office came to see me and asked me to jump in line.
I refused and have been avoiding the people from the street office for the past few days.
I'm not afraid of the pain of jumping in line, I'm not afraid of the pain at all, but...but...
My mother is in poor health and needs my care. My brother has eye problems and can hardly see, so he needs my care.
If I leave, this family will be finished, so I can't leave.
In fact, when you gave me the wood carving for the third time, I had you in my heart, but I didn't dare to respond because I was just a burden and a drag.
Being with me means being with my family, and if I don't jump in line, the street office won't assign me a position, and our family won't have any normal income. It's all a burden.
We shouldn't be together.
My mother told me that she didn’t need to take care of her, but I couldn’t take care of her.
My brother and I were both adopted by my mother. She has suffered all her life, but I cannot and cannot do it.
us……"
Qian Wen suddenly sealed Zheng Juan's red lips. Zheng Juan's big eyes widened and she held his arm tightly.
After a long time, the lips separated and the body temperature increased.
"I like you, these are not problems." Qian Wen looked into Zheng Juan's eyes and asked.
"But your parents won't agree." Zheng Juan said with a peach blossom face and a more delicate person.
"No one can stop me."
"You should think about it."
"No need to think about it, I will recognize you."
Zheng Juan lowered her head and leaned on Qian Wen's chest, listening quietly to the heartbeat in her ears.
The sun breaks through the clouds, the earth breaks through the rocks, the warm sun appears, and the flower bones slowly bloom, extremely bright.
Qian Wen and Zheng Juan confirmed their relationship on this snowstorm day.
But Zheng Juan was thinking too much, and she was afraid that he would make the decision because of his hot head, so she asked him not to tell his family yet, and if he woke up at any time, the two of them would separate quietly.
Qian Wen saw that Zheng Juan was quite dissatisfied, so he agreed with her. Anyway, the legal age for marriage in 1969 is 20 for men and 18 for women.