Chapter nine hundred and twenty seventh reading lamp
At 3:30 in the afternoon, Deng Jiazhuo ran home with his schoolbag and vegetable basket on his back. He was sweating profusely from running, and the bravery medal on his chest swayed up and down with his steps, shining brightly.
Seeing the medal on the young man's chest, passers-by rushing home all moved out of the way to let Deng Jiazhuo go first. In Tianjin, the Warrior Medal means an honor that is much higher than that of civilians, and he is given preferential treatment by society everywhere.
Even if you go to buy a bicycle, you can skip the queue and pick up the bike in advance.
But on the other hand, this medal is also heavy. The existence of the medal means that there is a seriously injured person in the wearer's family.
Deng Jiazhuo's father is such a wounded soldier who was wounded while serving his country. Four years ago, Deng Jiazhuo's father, Mr. Deng, was injured by a shell from the Jiangbei Army in Huai'an. His lower body was paralyzed and he has since lost the ability to move.
Deng Jiazhuo's mother died in childbirth when her younger brother was born. After his father was seriously injured and bedridden, fourteen-year-old Deng Jiazhuo supported the family by himself. Every day before dawn, he would get up to cook for the family and carry his father to the toilet.
After finishing all this work, Deng Jiazhuo had to rush to the middle school to study at eight o'clock. As soon as the teaching ended at three o'clock in the afternoon, he had to rush back early to take care of his father and buy vegetables and make dinner.
Because there were too many things to do, Deng Jiazhuo could not review his homework in the afternoon like other middle school students. Instead, he had to be busy until the evening to do his homework. The tung oil lamp was dim, and Deng Jiazhuo gradually became a little short-sighted.
Fortunately, myopia is not very serious and does not require glasses.
Deng Jiazhuo hurriedly ran into the house, put the vegetable basket on the table, and went to see his five-year-old brother and his father lying on the bed.
Fortunately, his five-year-old brother did not run around. He quietly watched the silkworms Deng Jiazhuo bought for him eating mulberry leaves by the table. Deng Jiazhuo went to look at his father on the bed again, and saw his father there reading a book about his last semester.
Geography textbook.
Seeing that his family was all well, Deng Jiazhuo breathed a sigh of relief. He first carried his father to the toilet for convenience, then carried his father back, and then went to the kitchen to wash vegetables and cook.
After finishing two simple dishes, it was already half past four. It gets dark very early in the north in the winter, and it was already starting to get dark outside. In order to save time, the three members of the Deng family only ate breakfast and dinner, and they were already grunting with hunger.
Deng Jiazhuo brought the food into the bedroom and first served his father a large bowl of rice and some vegetables and fish.
In Tianjin, since the advent of trawl fishing, fish has become the cheapest thing. Although the Deng family is not rich, they can still afford fish.
Deng Jiazhuo's father, Mr. Deng, took the meal, sat on the bed and started eating.
Deng Jiazhuo then pulled his younger brother to the table and started eating.
After taking a few bites, Boss Deng asked: "Jia Zhuo, how are your eyes?"
Deng Jiazhuo rubbed his eyes and said, "That's good, you don't need to wear glasses."
Boss Deng stopped his chopsticks, looked at Deng Jiazhuo and said: "Others do their homework in school in the afternoon, but you have to do your homework at night to take care of me. Your eyes are going to be broken. Jiazhuo, thank you for your hard work!"
"
Deng Jiazhuo took a mouthful of fish and said: "Dad, there is nothing we can do about it. Who asked my mother to die early? Fortunately, the prince gave dad a disability allowance of four to two or five yuan a month, so that the three of us in the family can have food."
I have food and clothing. I wear my father’s medal when I go out, and others look at me differently.”
Boss Deng put down his bowl and chopsticks and asked, "Jia Zhuo, how are your recent results?"
Deng Jiazhuo's face turned pale and he didn't answer.
Boss Deng felt that Deng Jiazhuo's expression was wrong and asked: "Jiazhuo, tell the truth, what are your grades? As long as you pass this middle school and graduate, you can directly become an official. The teacher who came to visit last time said,
With your grades in the public ethics course, you can become a judge's assistant. Don't delay your future by taking care of my father and me!"
Deng Jiazhuo said sarcastically: "I failed the physics exam the day before yesterday!"
When Boss Deng heard this, his eyes widened and he slapped the edge of the bed angrily. He was about to get angry. However, he was weak and before the anger could come out, he coughed first. This cough was so severe that his whole body shook violently.
Swinging back and forth like chaff in a sieve.
When Deng Jiazhuo saw his father getting angry, he did not dare to speak and lowered his head.
It took a long time for Mr. Deng to regain his composure.
Panting, he said: "Jia Zhuo, when your mother was here, you always ranked first in the class in elementary school. You are the most promising person in our Deng family. Tell me honestly, can you not read the textbook clearly at night?
Is that why you failed the exam?"
Deng Jiazhuo lowered his head and remained silent.
Boss Deng slapped the edge of the bed angrily and shouted: "Speak! If you can't be an official, your mother will hate me even in the world!"
Deng Jiazhuo said helplessly: "The tung oil lamp smokes too much. I can't read the textbook when I light one or two lamps. The smoke from three lamps makes my eyes hurt and I can't read."
Mr. Deng stared and stayed there.
After a long time, he sighed helplessly and beat his lower body hard. Deng was about to cry but had no tears.
"It was me who hurt you! If you hadn't rushed back to carry me to the toilet, buy groceries and cook, why would you have read at night? Your eyes were fine before!"
After all, Deng Jiazhuo was a young man. When he saw his father being agitated, he stayed there for a while, not knowing what to say.
As Mr. Deng spoke, tears flowed out.
The family of three seemed to be desperate, and everyone was very helpless.
After sitting there for an unknown amount of time, several men in black uniforms suddenly came to the door.
"Deng family, is this the Deng family?"
Deng Jiazhuo put down his bowl and chopsticks and greeted him: "It's the Deng family, who are you?"
Those men looked at Deng Jiazhuo and said with a smile: "Brother, we are from the electric power company. Your street has been connected with electric wires. Although the thermal power plant is still under construction, the prince has ordered that electric lights be installed in the meritorious families first.
"
Deng Jiazhuo was stunned and asked: "Electric light?"
The man from the power company laughed and said: "It's just a light bulb, but it's on. Even if there are ten tung oil lamps, not a single light bulb is on!"
After hearing what the power company employee said, Boss Deng suddenly shouted: "Jia Zhuo, quickly pour tea for the prince's people!"
The employees of the power company laughed and said: "I won't drink the tea. If you don't have any objections, we will connect the wires!"
Deng Jiazhuo nodded, and the workers got busy. After a while, a rubber wire was pulled along the ceiling to Deng Jiazhuo's home. The workers divided their work and worked together, and it didn't take long before electric lights were installed in every room of Deng's house.
After checking the wiring and confirming that there was no problem, the worker went to Boss Deng's room and turned on the light bulb.
The already dark room suddenly became brightly lit.
Boss Deng looked at the electric light with wide eyes, his face flushed with surprise.
Deng Jiazhuo's younger brother clapped his hands and said, "Brother! Brother, now you can read at night!"
Deng Jiazhuo took out a book and sat under the lamp and started reading. He found that he could see every word clearly and couldn't help but smile.
The workers looked at the medal of bravery pinned on Deng Jiazhuo's chest and said with a smile: "Are you a middle school student? Then we will install a shorter reading lamp in front of your desk! It will make it easier for you to read!"
The electrician worked hard and quickly installed a lamp in front of the desk, with a cloth cover on the lamp to protect his eyes.
Deng Jiazhuo sat on the desk and read in front of the reading lamp. He found that the light on the book was as bright as daytime, and every word was clear.
When Mr. Deng saw the reading lamp, he was so excited that tears filled his eyes. He suddenly climbed down from the bed and said, "A life-saving lamp! A life-saving lamp! I kowtow to you!"
When the people from the power company saw this situation, they all panicked and rushed forward to help Mr. Deng up.
"Brother Veteran, you are ruining our lives! If you hadn't defended Tianjin on the battlefield, where would we electricians have done anything?"
