At the east end of our village, there are three blue brick two-story buildings in front and back. They were built in the late Qing Dynasty. I heard from the old people in the village that there were courtyard walls and corner buildings in the past, which was quite grand. Now they no longer belong to anyone, and the nameplate of the "historical building" nailed in front of the door has become the business card of the village. There are three old locust trees beside the house that two people can't hold together. It is said that it has been nearly a hundred years. In front of the tree is a large area of hardened open space. Any major event in the village will be held here. Under the tree, it is also a good place for nearby villagers to hold bowls and have dinner and chat.
This large area was originally the house of a family of Liu's ancestors in the village. It is said that their ancestors were the top scholars of the Qing Dynasty. Later, their family declined, but the lean camel was bigger than a horse. Later generations built a three-entry courtyard here. When they passed it to the last owner, Mr. Liu San, it was already lost. The Liu family passed down from generation to generation. Some people can make money and those who can keep their family business are of course also inseparable. Mr. Liu San's father, especially those who are prodigal, did not learn well at a young age. He became a habit of smoking big smoke. He drew the money at home and emptied his body early. He died in his fifties.
When Master Liu San took over a large string of keys that symbolize his identity as a leader, his family was already empty and his warehouse was empty. But his father died early and his family still has more than 30 acres of land. The same thing is said, a lean camel is bigger than a horse. With these dozens of acres of land and Master Liu San's family management, the warehouse gradually became full of money, and Master Liu San is still a landlord and wealthy person in the village.
One person can't handle these more than 30 acres of land. In addition to hiring short-term workers during busy farming, he also has a long-term worker at home. The long-term worker's name is Gouwa, and I don't know where the deserter came from. By chance, he was rescued by Master Liu San and became his long-term worker. Gouwa only wants a place to live and a full meal. Of course, Mr. Liu San was very happy to be a long-term worker who didn’t need to start a salary. He despised the bad name of the dog baby, so he changed it to Wangcai.
When Wangcai went to Liu Sanye's house to work as a long-term worker, Liu Sanye was already in his fifties. The villagers of the same age as Liu Sanye have gray hair, thin skin, and the color is as black and yellow as the land under their feet! However, Master Liu San still had a rosy complexion, a loud voice, and walked steadily. He didn't look like a person who was over the age of knowing his fate. Those who didn't know thought he was a fortune-teller. This is not because Mr. Liu San has any secret to maintaining his appearance, but in that era when it was not easy to eat, Mr. Liu San not only ate well, but even could drink some wine every now and then.
In theory, Mr. Liu should live a comfortable life every day, but in fact, his wine every now and then was better to borrow it to drown his sorrows. Why? Mr. Liu San’s two daughters are now married and have become other family members. And no one has inherited his family business, it has become his heartbreaking.
Liu Sanye’s wife Li Fengmin, this woman with little feet has been a sick person since she was a child. Both parties are getting married, and the father-in-law doesn't like his father as a big smoker and he also fulfills his promise to marry his daughter. He is already very kind and has no place to choose. Li Fengmin started to be bedridden when she was in her forties, relying on Dr. Hu's Chinese medicine to hang her life. During this period, she was so angry that she could not get angry several times. Dr. Hu had to relieve herself after acupuncture. She just stood in bed for two or three years before she died.
After sending all their daughters out, the small building behind which the two daughters lived was completely regarded as a warehouse for storing grain by Master Liu San. He lived in a small building himself, and Wangcai lived in a small building in the front yard, and the huge home seemed even more empty. Early that morning, Mr. Liu San paced back and forth in the yard with his hands behind his back. Finally, as if he had made up some decision, he patted his hands and told Er Wangcai to send a message to his two daughters, asking them to come back immediately, and specifically told him not to take his son-in-law with him.
Waiting for the time when the daughters returned, Master Liu San shaved his face, cleaned up his face, and put on the melon-skin hat inlaid with white jade on his forehead, put on the black silk jacket, wiped the tables and chairs in the main room with a rag, brewed a pot of tea, and sat upright on the Grand Master's chair who was the door of the main room.
The daughters came to see their father like this, and they knew that there was something big to say. The two of them sat upright and waited for Mr. Liu San to speak. Mr. Liu San stared at Wangcai, who was looking at his two daughters' eyes, and showed displeasure: "Go, go, go, give mule water!"
Wangcai withdrew from the main hall in disappointment. Mr. Liu San then calmed down, picked up the tea bowl and blew, took a sip, spit out a tea stem and said, "Girls, how about I re-string my father?"
Two daughters, look at me and look at you. Both of them actually understand Mr. Liu San's thoughts. There is no male at home, and even if there is a wealth of wealth, it will be in vain. After Mr. Liu San's hundred years later, this rich family business was given to his nephews who were not close to him. Not to mention Mr. Liu San's unwillingness, even the two daughters would not want to!
The two women nodded at each other and both expressed their support for Mr. Liu San's decision, asking his father what he planned and if there was a suitable candidate? Do they want to help find it? Mr. Liu was very pleased to receive the support of his daughters and looked out the door vigilantly. Seeing that Wangcai was busy leading the mule, he whispered to the person he liked.
Widow Li - a woman in her thirties in her village house in her village house in her thirties, her family's surname is Li, and she lost her life in a fight with bandits a few years ago. Now she and her daughter depend on each other for life. Li's surname is a big surname in the village. In that era, Widow Li had no son and was entitled to all the families with the surname Li in the village. However, Liu Sanye gave many benefits to the old men with the surname Li, who had a high seniority. Those old men suppressed the people in the clan who had eaten Widow Li's family several times.
I don’t know where Widow Li knew the benefactor behind him, but he actually came to the door to kneel down to thank Master Liu San, regardless of the “many right and wrong in front of the widow.” Now it seems that Mr. Liu San has already made plans. Otherwise, why would he say that he has the right to manage his family?
It’s just one thing to be grateful, but another thing to be committed to others. Will a woman in her thirties be willing to marry an old man in her 60s? The daughters expressed their optimism.
Mr. Liu San took another sip of hot tea and smiled: "Money can make the devil push the mill!"
It seems that everything is under the control of Mr. Liu San. On his 60th birthday, he really married Widow Li. The Liu family, which has been deserted for many years, was particularly lively and prosperous this day. With the congratulations from relatives and friends, Mr. Liu San led Widow Li across the brazier with a red cloth, realizing the second spring of his life!
After marriage, Mr. Liu San ran to Dr. Hu many times. He has always been a family-oriented person and has changed his past style and is not stingy when buying medicine. He has his own account, and as long as he is well fed up and has a son, he will make money back.
From then on, the aroma of the meal that floated from Liu Sanye’s house was submerged in the strange smell mixed with various herbs. The essence of various herbs was boiled into a bowl of black and sticky juice, which was poured into his stomach by Master Liu San without hesitation.
One day, two days;
January, two months;
One year, two years...
Master Liu San began to be anxious and took a lot of medicine. He could also feel the strong impulse many years ago again. But Widow Li's belly just didn't move. Could it be Widow Li’s problem? In confusion, Dr. Hu invited Dr. Hu to his home to take his pulse for Widow Li. Dr. Hu knew in his heart that Widow Li was not a big problem. He was in his prime and had a child experience. However, since he was here, and Mr. Liu San was eager to beg for a child, so he simply said that Widow Li had some problems and prescribed a few pairs of herbs for ten days and half a month.
He didn't know that his little thoughts actually brought endless pain to Widow Li!
Liu Sanye smiled and sent Doctor Hu away, turned around and picked up a feather duster to suck Widow Li, swearing and scolding, "It turns out that it's your fault! I I have been drinking medicine for two years, you are a wizard chicken that doesn't lay eggs!"
Wangcai heard the movement and saw this, and quickly persuaded him. Mr. Liu San was afraid of losing face in front of outsiders, so he stopped and gave the prescription and a lot of money to Wangcai and asked him to hurry up and get the medicine. And Widow Li, who was knocked down to the ground and sobbed, didn't even look at him, and snorted coldly and went into the inner room.
Wangcai quickly helped Widow Li up and sat on the chair to comfort her, and then picked up the feather duster and hid it. Then he ran to the pharmacy to grab medicine...
After that, another herbal smell began to float out of Liu Sanye's house. Sometimes, while the herbal smell floated out, there would also be a crisp sound of a porcelain bowl falling on the blue bricks, and a faint sob of a woman. This kind of life lasted for nearly a year. The ten-day and half-month conditioning of Dr. Hu continued with the insistence of Master Liu San.
Until Widow Li accidentally lost her job and had morning sickness! Mr. Liu San was overjoyed! For three years, I have been waiting for this day for a long time. From the day when Widow Li had morning sickness to the point of delivery, Widow Li never went to the stove to cook a meal again. It was all controlled by Wangcai. Wangcai would do whatever he wanted. After it was done, it was brought directly to Widow Li's bed in the inner room.
A big fat boy with a handle was born successfully! Mr. Liu was very happy and named the boy "Tianyou". The long-lived lock passed down from his ancestors in the family was also passed on to Tianyou's neck. The two sisters paid for someone to get a silver bracelet, and put it on their arms for this younger brother who was a generation older than him.
Tianyou grew up day by day, while Liu Sanye grew older day by day. Even if he can eat and wear warmth, or even have rich clothes and food, he is equal to all living beings in the corrosion of time. His voice was no longer loud, his eyes became dirty, and his hands were slowly unable to live without crutches. When Tianyou was ten years old, the 73-year-old Master Liu San died on an extremely cold winter night.
Wife Li (who should be called Liu at this time) who sent away her two husbands seemed to have become an unknown symbol and became the object of discussion after dinner. However, Widow Liu never paid attention to it, and even a long-term worker who should be dismissed according to the rules. She did not care about gossip and kept Wangcai, living the life with a lonely man and a widow...
It was the end of 1948. One day, people found that it seemed that they had not seen smoke rising from Widow Liu's house for several days, nor did they see Wangcai go to work in the fields. The good-gooded person pushed open the door of Master Liu San to find that the house was empty, with food, livestock, and furniture gone. Widow Liu, Wangcai, and Tianyou.
