Back then, the living conditions in rural areas were too poor, so bad that you could not imagine.
As passionate young people, we came to the countryside to receive labor re-education. Even though we were fully prepared for hard work, we still felt a little cold when we stepped into Qingtian Village and saw those dilapidated adobe houses.
The one who received us was a thin middle-aged man. He was Uncle Niu Gen, the captain of the production team. Everyone called him Captain Niu. Captain Niu has deep eye sockets. When looking at people, he seems to have to squeeze up with all his strength, but he speaks simply and unambiguously. We had nowhere to settle down for the time being, so he called an uncle named Shuisheng in the village and said, "Shuisheng, your family arranged two educated youth to live. Do you have any opinions?"
"No objection!" A young girl from fifteen or sixteen standing next to Shuisheng rushed to answer. Shuisheng looked at us, scratched the back of his head with his hands and said, "Living is... To be honest, there are two people in our house. One room is empty, I'm afraid..."
"It's okay to live, what's the fear?" Captain Niu said to me and Guo Qing, "You two go with him, eat and live in his house for the time being. Once the house is built, you educated youth will be put together."
The little girl who was rushing to answer quickly came to help us carry our luggage. Captain Niu narrowed his eyes and said with a smile, "Lianlian, help the two brothers wash clothes and cook in the future. I didn't see you diligent, so I won't arrange for them to go to your house." Only then did we realize that her name was Lianlian and was the daughter of Uncle Shuisheng.
"Is this a matter of saying? I have cleaned the room long ago." Lianlian said with a smile on her face.
When he arrived at Shuisheng's door, he saw that the door of his house was broken and thought to himself, "If there is a wild beast coming tonight, will this door be opened as soon as it is arched?"
Shuisheng saw our thoughts and said a little embarrassedly: "This is what the countryside looks like. It's not as good as your city. Let's live. The team is preparing to build a new house for your educated youth, and that's good at that time."
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, it's good to have a place to live." I walked into the house as I said.
"Two brothers, you sit in the room, I'll help you lay the bed." Lianlian said and entered the room.
The light in the living room was not good, and the room was darker. I sat on the stool and looked in. I saw an old-fashioned bed inside and a low cabinet was placed at the head of the bed. Lianlian was busy in front of the bed, hanging mosquito nets and laying straw mats for us.
Not long after, a short stature and curly hair walked into the house and smiled at us. No need to ask, she must be the hostess, so we got up and said hello to her. She was not good at talking and asked us to sit down.
"This is Lianlian's mother, her surname is Wang, you can just call her Aunt Wang." Shuisheng introduced to us.
Aunt Wang walked into the room and looked at the bed in Lianlian. She felt that there was no need to correct it and went to the kitchen next door.
"Two brothers, the bed is ready, you can rest." Lianlian walked out of the room and said to us.
"Thank you Lianlian, thank you for your hard work." I smiled gratefully, and took out some daily necessities I carried with me with Guo Qing.
After a while, Lianlian walked to the door and said, "Two brothers, my mother has cooked the noodles, come and eat noodles."
The journey here is long, we are sleepy and tired, hungry, just waiting for her to say this.
sat at the Eight Immortals table. Each of us ate a large bowl of noodles, and there were three eggs in the noodles. Hunger is the best condiment, we ate it with relish, and it seems that we have never eaten such delicious noodles. I feel that Uncle Shuisheng's family is very enthusiastic, not the kind on the surface, but welcomes us from the bottom of my heart.
This is what we saw, heard and felt when we first arrived at Uncle Shuisheng’s house. We were really touched.
In the next days, we should not wash our clothes ourselves, as Lianlian helped us wash them. There is no need to make the rice, and it is also made by Lianlian for us. Early in the morning, we went out with the members to start work. After finishing work, we were like clothes and food. How could we feel happy?
"I'm really embarrassed to live in Uncle Shuisheng's house. Xiao Jian, do you feel this way?" Guo Qing asked me.
"Yes, I feel embarrassed, I hope the house where the educated youth lives will be built soon so that we can move out." I said.
This little girl Lianlian is so cute. She calls us brother affectionately all day long, and she calls us so sweetly, as if we are her biological brothers. However, we came in a hurry and didn't bring anything. We had known that we would have met such a good sister Lianlian in the village. No matter what, we would have brought some things that the girl likes to give to her.
We have lived in Uncle Shuisheng's house for more than two months. We have never washed clothes or quilts by ourselves. We just helped their family chop firewood a few times and lived a life like a young master.
Lianlian didn't have a good piece of clothing, especially her pants. She had a patch on her knees and a patch on her butt. When the girl's clothes are like this, I feel sad when I see her. I didn't tell Guo Qing in advance, so I wrote to my mother, told her about Lianlian's height, and asked her to ask someone to help make two pairs of pants and send them.
My mother is also a kind person. When she learned that we had received help and care from Shuisheng family outside, she not only made two new pairs of pants for Lianlian, but also made two new clothes. When the clothes were received, I told Lianlian that this was my mother's wish. She was so happy that she jumped and said, "Thank you aunt, thank you brother Jian!"
Guo Qing had some objections to this and said to me, "Xiao Jian, you didn't discuss it with me in advance. Now you have sent clothes to Lianlian, and I'm embarrassed to not give her something." I said, "It's nothing, just treat it as the two of us. Do we still divide each other?" He stopped talking.
After a few days, Guo Qing also asked his mother to send a few pairs of shoes for Lianlian to wear, and shouted happily: "Oh, the two brothers are so nice, one buys me clothes and the other buys me shoes."
People take care of us so much, and it is reasonable for us to give some clothes to Lianlian, but Uncle Shuisheng and Aunt Wang don't think so, and they always feel guilty about it.
That night, Aunt Wang killed a chicken, and Uncle Shuisheng bought a bottle of wine, and specifically thanked us for sending clothes to their daughter. We didn't know how to drink, but we couldn't help but drink half a cup of good intentions.
"Xiao Jian and Xiao Guo, you live in our house and the grain is also arranged by the captain. Don't feel embarrassed. Don't buy things for Lianlian in the future." Aunt Wang said clearly, "I dare not let Lianlian wear the clothes you gave out. When they wear them out, others don't know how much benefits we have affected you. It's so bad."
Uncle Shuisheng habitually scratched the back of his head and said, "Look at how much money can be distributed at the end of the year. I will give you some at that time. Even if we ask you to buy clothes in the city, it will be fair."
Hearing them say this, I don't know what it feels like. They are really kind, but why should they be so kind to us? Do we have no right to express our gratitude? I felt uncomfortable and couldn't speak, so I signaled Guo Qing to say a few words.
Guo Qing couldn't bear to drink, so he lowered his head and thought for a moment, and said, "Uncle Shuisheng, Aunt Wang, I feel really uncomfortable when you say this today. Look, Xiao Jian is also very uncomfortable. On weekdays, you treat us as your own family, and we buy some clothes for Lianlian and have to pay for money. This is not treating me as a family, but as an outsider. If you don't say it, tears will flow out after I say it..."
"Dad, mom, don't worry about it anymore. Brother bought it for me, not for you to wear it. If you say you owe someone, it is also I owe my brother's favor, and I will pay it back in the future." Lianlian saw that we were all sad and walked over and said.
"Lianlian, it's not the favor you owe us, it's the favor we owe you and the favor you all your family." I raised my head and said.
Uncle Shuisheng picked up the wine cup and said, "Don't talk about it, drink and drink."
About two months later, the house built by the production team for us was completed, and Captain Niu asked us to move in. We have already had a relationship with Uncle Shui Sheng's family and really don't want to move away, but Captain Niu spoke and had to leave.
When we packed our things and prepared to leave, Lianlian suddenly started crying. We didn't understand what she cried, and Uncle Shuisheng said, "What else is there? I can't bear to leave you two brothers."
In fact, I felt uncomfortable and said to Lianlian, "Lianlian, can we meet every day? Thank you for your hard work these days."
Lianlian didn't speak, and kept crying, which made people feel heartbroken.
This is the local rural people. They are hardworking, kind, warm and hospitable, and the human touch is so strong that you can't even melt it. You can only cry with them.
