There are two kang tables placed side by side on the kang, otherwise it would be difficult to sit apart. The pork was stewed to a pulp. Caixia pulled some green onions, radishes and other pickles in the garden. It was lively when there were many people, especially the children, who were very curious about the three new arrivals. There was also an elder brother from a relative, who even pulled Xiao Wuzi to ask questions.
Han Laoliu drank a lot of wine and talked more. He told Xiao Wuzi a lot about the past. Some Xiao Wuzi knew it and some Xiao Wuzi didn't. He also asked Xiaowuzi where they planned to go. Xiaowuzi didn't hide anything from him, and said he wanted to go to Fengtian to treat Lao Haishan. Han Laoliu nodded but said nothing.
The children had not seen meat for a long time, and they were all eaten up. At first, Chun Sheng didn't have the nerve to put in more meat. When Xiao Wuzi saw it, he threw a quarter of the meat into the pot, taking advantage of the size of the pot, otherwise it wouldn't be able to boil.
After dinner, Caixia led the children to clean up the dishes. Han Laoliu pulled Xiao Wuzi out and asked him if he had any money. Give me some. Xiao Wuzi probably guessed that this family's life was not well-off, so he took out a hundred yuan and gave it to him. Han Laoliu took the money and put it in his arms and entered the house again.
Han Laoliu said to Xiaowuzi and Erniu, stay one more day and help me do some work tomorrow. Xiaowuzi and the others were not in a hurry, so they agreed.
Han Laoliu gathered the family into the house and said to the children formally: "From today on, your uncle is your biological father. Come on, children, kowtow and call me dad."
The children all knelt on the ground obediently and kowtowed to Chunsheng, calling him daddy at all times, but Chunsheng burst into tears and hugged the children to the kang. It was so difficult to be called uncle by his biological son!
Caixia and Chunsheng both looked at Han Laoliu with confused expressions. Han Laoliu said to Chunsheng: "This family will all depend on you from now on. Raise the children well. Don't worry about you and mine. They are all the same." It hurts, can you do it?
Chun Sheng also knelt on the ground and raised his head and said, "Brother, what are you doing? Isn't it natural for me to take care of the children? If I divide yours and mine, am I still a human being?"
Han Laoliu helped him up and said to his family: "The little five sons who came today are the children of my brothers. They are members of the Anti-Japanese Alliance and are fighting for their lives against the Japanese. We met here today. It is God's arrangement. I have to go with them, because I owe them a life! From now on, this family will be entrusted to you. I will pay the debt. If I am still alive in a few years, I will go home. Don’t break up this family. ”
After hearing these words, Caixia was so shocked that she lost the ability to speak. She just grabbed Han Laoliu's clothes, big tears fell from her face, and she shook her head desperately.
The children also understood that their father was about to leave, and they all rushed over to hug him without letting go, crying together.
Han Laoliu wiped the tears of the children one by one, but he was already in tears. He took out the money from his arms and handed it to Chunsheng, and said: "Save some of this money and spend it to last a few years. You keep it and support this family for me." Chunsheng also had tears on his face and said to He said: "Brother, don't worry. I promise to take good care of this family and come back soon. The children can't live without you."
At night, the children all slept on the North Kang with Chunsheng, and Caixia and Han Laoliu slept on the South Kang.
Han Laoliu knows a little about pharmacology, so every autumn he goes up the mountain to dig up medicinal materials. It was dawn, but today he did not go up the mountain again. Instead, he was at home, instructing Xiao Wuzi and Er Niu to help him go up the mountain to pull back some fallen logs, and then used a saw to cut them into pieces and pile them up. Xiao Wuzi and Er Niu Chunsheng started working together, After a while, a wall made of wooden sections was erected. Then he asked the children to collect the herbs he had dried these days and gave them to Chunsheng to sell at the market.
He asked Xiao Wuzi to help him make something. Han Laoliu was gesturing and talking about the shape of the thing. Xiao Wuzi finally understood that this was a prosthetic hand made of wood for Han Laoliu.
Xiaowuzi was clever and handy, using saw and ax at the same time. After a while, he made a shape that Han Laoliu was satisfied with. In fact, it looked a bit like a long-handled spoon. Several strips of cloth were nailed to the handle and tied with cloth strips. On the forearm, the head of the spoon fit perfectly into the palm of Han Laoliu's hand, using this wooden spoon to replace the three missing fingers.
Han Laoliu tried it on and found that the size was just right. Xiao Wuzi took it off and polished it carefully with a wooden file. After all, it was a substitute for hands and it couldn't be too rough.
It was rare that Han Laoliu didn't go out for a whole day, and the children knew that their father was leaving, so they all stuck to him. Han Laoliu also hugged this one and kissed that one, feeling extremely reluctant to part with him.
When Chunsheng came back, he lit a fire in the courtyard and smoked the remaining meat until it was half dry, preparing for them to take it away tomorrow. Xiaowuzi and Erniu said they didn't want anything and kept all the meat. Han Laoliu also said, stay, the children are too short of meat when they are growing up.
In the early morning of the next day, Xiao Wuzi and the others had already tidied up, and Han Laoliu also got up quietly, not daring to wake the children. Caixia and Chunsheng were sent away, and Han Laoliu smiled at them and said: "Go back, the child will wake up later. Caixia ran a few steps, hugged Han Laoliu and cried loudly.
After crying for a while, Han Laoliu broke away from her, coaxed her back softly, then waved his hand and turned away resolutely.
Xiao Wuzi guessed that Han Laoliu was going to follow him since he asked for money, but he never said anything. This time we left together, and Xiaowuzi asked: "Uncle Six, why do you want to come with us? Are the children at home willing to do it?" Han Laoliu said with a smile: "You don't know, I owe your father my life. It can only be with his son, so I have to protect you, this is more important than anything else."
It was evening when the group arrived at Chaoyang Town, and the big car shop was a common stop for these people. They said to the public that they collected mountain goods, and Han Laoliu called him the shopkeeper, Lao Haishan. Lao Haishan called him Liu Ge. Xiao Wuzi and Er Niu both called Lao Haishan daddy, while they called Han Laoliu Liu uncle.
This year Lao Haishan is thirty-nine years old, Han Lao Liu is forty-three years old, Erniu is eighteen years old, and Xiao Wuzi is sixteen years old.
Along the way, Xiaowuzi and Erniu learned a lot of knowledge that they had never learned before. Han Laoliu was an old gangster with too much experience in the world. When he had nothing to do, he told stories to the two young men and told them his story. All the skills are taught to each other.
At night, Lao Haishan couldn't sleep lying down. He kept coughing as soon as he lay down, so he sat around a quilt and slept. Xiao Wuzi was very distressed, but there was nothing he could do.
The next day, four people went to the street, and Xiao Wuzi and Han Laoliu came forward to inquire if there was a fortune teller named Wu here.
It really took no effort to find him. It turned out that Mr. Wu was very famous in this area, and everyone within a few dozen miles knew that there was such a person.
Because a few years ago he tested people's calligraphy and asked them to find their lost children. The family was very poor, so Mr. Wu didn't ask for money. So that family always praised Mr. Wu for his accurate calculations and good character when meeting everyone. It gave him free advertising for several years.
When we arrived at Mr. Wu’s house, he found that his house was in a very narrow alley, with two shabby tile-roofed houses, and the window paper was leaking.
Xiao Wuzi and Er Niu stood guard at the door, while Han Laoliu and Lao Haishan entered the house. In fact, Han Laoliu knew who Mr. Wu was as soon as he heard it. He also knew this person and was very familiar with it.
Mr. Wu first worked as a calligrapher in Gong Shazi's gang. Gong Shazi later left with Feng Zhanhai, but Mr. Wu stayed. He worked in several gangs in Shulan, Emu, and Dunhua without staying long.
He is an educated scholar and everyone respects him. Why are you here? Looking back, think about yourself, aren't you in the same situation as Mr. Wu?
When the two entered the room, Mr. Wu was leaning on the table writing something, his eyes were very close to the paper, and he knew at a glance that the look in his eyes was definitely not good.
When Mr. Wu heard someone coming in, he did not raise his head, but continued to write, saying: "Wait for me first, I will be ready soon. There is a stool over there, sit down for a while."
There was a layer of dust on the stool. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned for at least a few days. Han Laoliu blew on it and the dust flew up, choking Lao Haishan and coughing again.
When he coughed, Mr. Wu was stunned, stopped the pen in his hand, raised his head and squinted to take a closer look, dropped the pen and stumbled out from behind the table, asking: "Is it Brother Haishan? Why are you running away?" Coming here?"
Han Laoliu next to him opened his mouth to speak: "Not bad, I can still hear the cough of my old brother."
Originally, Mr. Wu's attention was all on Lao Haishan. When Han Laoliu spoke, Mr. Wu turned around and was startled to see him.
"Han Laoliu? Are you a human or a ghost? Aren't all your royal ministers dead?"
Han Laoliu smiled and scolded: "You old coffin is not dead, why should I die? Come and see the Haishan Cabinet."
Mr. Wu reached out and held Lao Haishan's right hand and asked him: "What's going on? Why are you so thin?" Then he turned back to Han Laoliu and said: "You don't know, brother Haishan and I have a life-long friendship. .How did you two get together?"
Lao Haishan always coughs, and it takes him a long time to say a few words. Han Laoliu told Mr. Wu the story of Lao Haishan's injury during the Haishan Battalion's breakout. Although he was not present at the scene, he was very eloquent and spoke the right words. Then he said: "They passed by my house a few days ago. Xiaowuzi is the son of Liu Erlengzi. He is my sworn brother. He is the only one left. I couldn't just stand by and followed him. The main reason for looking for you is Get documents for all of us so that we can get on the train. Haishan Dashi is so injured that he has to go to the hospital in Fengtian for surgery."
Mr. Wu asked again: "How old are these people? What do they look like?"
Han Laoliu said, "They're all outside. I'll ask you to come in and see for yourself." After that, he went out and called the two young men.
Both young men came to greet Mr. Wu, and they both respected their senior. Mr. Wu is very satisfied with this.
