Autumn turned to winter, and the year 1976 came in the blink of an eye.
After experiencing the lively autumn harvest season, the endless Loess Plateau began to be invaded by the biting cold wind from the north. The cold current swept over the grasslands and deserts and came unstoppably.
The people on the loess soil were all freezing and their noses and ears were red.
After working people returned home, they only felt their rough hands were slightly itchy, which was a prelude to frostbite.
There is no longer any green color in the ravines on both sides of Shuangshui Village. Looking up, there are only bare mountains.
The jujube forest that was bustling with activity a few months ago now has no leaves hanging on it. The Dongla River flowing beside it is covered with ice, and even the dirt roads in the village are frozen solid.
In the sky above Shuangshui Village, black charcoal smoke and white firewood smoke and birds rise, and a wisp of smoke represents a family.
Originally, the Sun family used firewood for the winter, but now that they have moved to a much larger new home, it would be too expensive to use firewood for heating. My father-in-law, Tian Futang, moved a hill to the Sun family last month. The pile of black coal was all coal that had been ordered at the Shige Festival.
The surface of the Loess Plateau in winter is endless yellow at first glance, but the colors underground are exceptionally rich. This is the world-renowned Wujin Triangle region, and coal prices are actually not expensive.
But unfortunately, the conditions of the Sun family were really poor in the past, so they could only prepare firewood for the winter in advance.
Now that the conditions at home have improved, the Sun family can no longer see everyone huddled together in shabby cotton-padded jackets and shivering at home in winter. It is rare for people in the cave dwellings to be able to take off their coats a little at this time.
"Brother, your marriage to Sister Runye will be on the eighth day of next month."
"That day is Thursday. I have already asked for leave from our teacher in advance. I will go home to help at noon on Wednesday, and then go back to school on Friday. I may live in the dormitory and not go home during the weekend."
Shaoping looked cheerful.
His face looked very rosy, and he gradually said goodbye to the sallow and thin face before, and his whole temperament had changed a lot. Although he was still very poor in school, all the money Lu Ze gave him had been saved by Shaoping. It didn't cost much.
The real reason why Shaoping has changed so much is not due to changes in his family's material conditions.
But now his relationship with Tian Xiaoxia has developed rapidly. This girl has had a great influence on Shaoping. Gradually, he has become a little more confident and can take the rice bowl to fetch food generously.
Lu Ze smiled: "Okay."
After a while, Jin Bo and Jin Xiu, brother and sister, came here. They smiled and called Lu Ze "Brother Shaoan", while Tian Runsheng, who was closer at home, arrived very late.
It turns out that those whose homes are closer to school are more likely to be late.
Runsheng pushed Lu Ze out and said with a smile: "Brother-in-law, you go out first, we have to work!"
They planned to tidy up the new cave dwelling where Lu Ze lived, as a wedding blessing from them all.
In this era, the relationship between the villagers is still very simple. Regarding Lu Ze's upcoming marriage, the villagers all have the money and the ability to contribute. Of course, most of them contribute, and Lu Ze thinks this is enough.
In a whole morning's work, Runsheng and several others decorated the two earthen walls of the cave dwelling with splendor. It seemed that the atmosphere of a wedding and new house had been highlighted.
My sister Lanhua also came to the house a few days ago and stayed at home early to start working on her brother's wedding. At this time, she was neatly working with Runye's mother to make clothes and bedding for the two new members of the family, and also prepared food for entertaining guests later.
"Run Sheng Shaoping, you two kids, grab the pig leg and don't let go!"
"Xiaobo, please put the basin in your hand. This pig's blood is precious, don't waste it."
Jin Junwu, a pig-killing expert from Shuangshui Village, came to Sun's yard, and several people from Runsheng were called out to help kill the pigs.
Jin Junwen rolled up his sleeves and held a sharp knife between his teeth. Soon there was a harsh pig cry, and the white knife went into the red knife.
In the blink of an eye, the fat pig on the table was cut into pieces.
The women in the house also came out to watch the pig being slaughtered, and the excitement of the wedding suddenly arose in the house.
Logically speaking, Lu Ze's second father and mother, these two real relatives, should also come to help, but the women's director He Fengying went to a neighboring town to visit Dazhai, and Sun Yuting had three jobs to take care of the family. It's a doll that can't free its hands.
"Don't worry, Shaoan!"
"Your wedding is a big event in our family. My parents will definitely attend on time!"
Lu Ze thought about his second father's solemn words when he met him a few days ago and smiled dumbly.
I didn't really take it to heart. After all, the second dad came to the house to help. At best, he could just help spread cigarettes or chat.
Working was impossible.
Impossible in this life.
At noon, there was a lively meal in the Sun family cave dwelling. Because the pig was being killed today, it was a rule to entertain the butcher. Lu Ze also left Jin Bo and his group behind and gave them a separate meal. Xiao Zao, the group ate happily.
"Shaoan."
"You go to the Shige Festival Commune later to buy some cigarettes for the guests, and by the way, let Hu Delu give you a good haircut."
Sun Yuhou somewhat underestimated his family's influence in the village. It may also be due to the influence of Tian Futang, the party secretary. During this period, there was an endless stream of people coming to help the family, and the cigarettes were consumed very quickly, which was unexpected.
In addition, everyone in Shuangshui Village is a drinker, so I might as well buy some more cigarettes and alcohol to go home.
After Lu Ze finished eating, he rode his father-in-law's bicycle to the Shigejie Commune. He rode calmly on the flat road. The mountains and fields in the cold winter seemed extremely lonely, and the cool breeze was blowing in front of him, but Lu Ze was not interested in this. There is no response to the temperature.
Now his physical fitness has gradually escaped the range of normal people.
The changes of the four seasons can be felt.
But the body is very resistant.
When passing by Jar Village, Lu Ze saw at a glance that the man squatting next to the stone bridge and wrapping himself tightly was his ghost brother-in-law. He had his hands stuffed in the connected sleeves and his head. Wearing a tattered black hat, Wang Manyin's face didn't look good. He was half-squinting his eyes at this time and didn't notice Lu Ze's arrival.
"Hey."
"Brother-in-law, what are you doing here?"
Wang Manyin suddenly woke up from his half-daze state. When he saw it was Lu Ze, he stood up from the ground in a panic, then supported his crooked black hat and smiled sheepishly at Lu Ze: " Your sister has not been at home these days, and there is no firewood. It has been very cold in the cave dwelling these days, so I came out to bask in the sun."
Lu Ze suddenly laughed.
"Then you can't go to the mountain and chop some firewood?"
"How do you eat without making a fire?"
Wang Manyin hesitated and hesitated: "The road on the mountain is too difficult. I cut some and it's not very useful to go home. I thought it would be too troublesome and I just didn't light a fire. I have a few pancakes at home. When I eat, I go to the neighbor's stove. It's hot on top..."
Lu Ze was a little shocked.
He didn't know how there could be such lazy people in this world.
And this person is still his brother-in-law.
"Then how did you eat before you were married to my sister?"
"That's easier. I can just feed myself and the whole family so that I won't be hungry. I can just eat whatever I want. I won't starve to death anyway."
Wang Manyin saw Lu Ze riding a bicycle and guessed that he was going to the Shige Festival Commune. He suddenly became interested and said, "Shaoan, are you going to the commune? If you want to buy some scattered tobacco, alcohol and food, go to the second retail store on the north side of Changliu Street. The goods there are affordable; if you want to buy whole items, go to the supply and marketing cooperative at the entrance of the commune."
Lu Ze sighed slightly.
This brother-in-law is definitely a smart guy, but the buff of this smart guy + lazy guy is really weird.
"Brother-in-law, you are really hungry, so go home to eat."
Wang Manyin waved his hand quickly, but at this time he showed the good things in his nature: "No, your family is now
It will definitely be busy and chaotic, and I won't be able to help you much if I go there. Just have your sister and the two kids here. I'll go when you get married, and I'll come back the same day after attending, so I won't cause any trouble. "
Lu Ze chatted with Wang Manyin for a while, then rode his bicycle to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a bunch of cigarettes and alcohol.
This thing is not a good smoke or drink, but it is definitely not the kind of quality that is just fake. The mid-range type is enough.
I also purchased some leftover materials needed for the banquet.
Lu Ze finally rode his bike to the only barber shop in Shigejie Commune. There was only a chubby barber named Hu Delu. There was a swivel chair in the small room and a large old mirror hanging on the wall.
Hu Delu is considered the number one celebrity in Shigejie Commune.
After all, barbers are still a relatively rare profession in this era. After Lu Ze walked into the shop, he put a lot of things in his hands at his feet. At this time, the barber did not say whether he wanted to apply for a card, but He smiled brightly at Lu Ze.
"Haircut?"
"Yeah, just watch and cut."
After spending a huge sum of twenty-five cents, Lu Ze looked at his slightly more handsome face in the mirror in front of him about half an hour later, and felt that the barber Hu Delu was still pretty good, at least older than later generations. Some of the hot chicken barbers are much better.
"Groom, is this hairstyle okay?"
Lu Ze fiddled with his hairstyle in the mirror, turned around and smiled: "How did you know I was the groom's officer?"
Hu Delu was washing his hands at this time and smiled at Lu Ze: "We, barbers, rely on our eyes to eat. You bought all these tobacco, alcohol and aniseed ingredients. They are obviously used for banquets. People are happy to see them." From the top of his eyebrows, he looks like a man who is about to get married."
Lu Ze took out a loose cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Hu Delu.
"Good workmanship."
"good taste!"
...
When he returned home, Lu Ze was surprised to find that Runye was sitting on his kang at this time. When he saw Lu Ze coming back, Runye got off the kang with a smile on his face. He didn't say anything, but just helped Lu Ze unload the clothes naturally. Get rid of those things in your hands.
Tian Futang and Sun Yuhou were smoking cigarettes at this time.
These old-school smokers feel that new cigarettes are not very exciting to smoke. They are conservatives.
The young people in the village all like cigarettes and belong to the reformist group.
"Why are you back?"
Lu Ze said hello to his father-in-law, then looked at Runye and asked softly.
Runye looked at Lu Ze's newly shaved head, with joy and affection in her eyes, and replied with a smile: "I'm getting married soon, so I must go home early to prepare for the wedding."
As he spoke, Runye blushed again unconsciously, and then he remembered that the two elders in the family behind him were there.
Tian Futang smiled and shook his head: "I originally told Run Ye that I would take leave for two days before coming back. Who would have thought that this girl couldn't stay in the city for the past two days, so she just took the car and went straight home."
...
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lu Ze and Run Ye got married.
The wedding was quite simple compared to later generations, but the atmosphere was even more lively.
The relatives at home all came to the house on the afternoon of the seventh day of the lunar month. Looking at the brand new three-hole cave dwelling of the Sun family, they all felt in their hearts that Sun Yuhou's family had finally managed to survive. His son was really capable. No wonder. You can become captain at the age of eighteen!
Fortunately, the current home is big enough to barely fit in.
In the afternoon of the same day, Wang Manyin also rushed over from the Jar Village. He was really hungry and couldn't bear it, especially because he thought about eating and drinking at the table tomorrow, and his stomach couldn't bear it. I plan to have a meal at Sun's house in the evening, then go back to Can Village in the dark, and then come back when the banquet officially starts tomorrow.
Lu Ze couldn't help but sigh.
Isn't it troublesome for this second-rate brother-in-law to walk such a long way back and forth? Does going up the mountain to cut firewood seem to cost him his life?
The next day, the wedding officially started.
Lu Ze was dressed very handsomely, and with Hu Delu's fashionable hairstyle, he didn't look like the captain of Shuangshui Village's first team at all. Instead, he looked like a cultured person, and he was very measured in his dealings with others.
Tian Futang was so happy!
When he meets people, he always talks about how his new uncle has been interviewed in the newspaper, and he seems to be a cultural person.
The bride, Runye, was wearing a red cotton-padded jacket, with a scarf knitted by Lanhua herself around her neck. The couple went to the table and began to toast. Even Tian Er, the fool in the village, came to the scene. It was a good sign for a beggar to participate in red and white events, and everyone also They were all cheerful and didn't care about these things.
"Dear relatives and friends, dear friends."
"Today is the wedding of my little girl Run Ye and Shao Anwa. As the girl's father, I would like to say a few words."
"From now on, Sun Shaoan must treat my daughter well, otherwise I, the father, will never agree. Even though I am not as healthy as before, it is not a problem for me to take care of my uncle!"
Tian Futang started drinking.
At this time, Sun Yuting was also greeting the guests with a wine glass. He was also very happy in his heart. Lu Ze and Run Ye were in a free love relationship, but in Sun Yuting's opinion, there were signs of a political marriage.
He can work better with Secretary Futang!
"Thank you dang~!
"
...
The banquet lasted from noon to evening.
Lu Ze returned to the wedding room with Run Ye, who was smelling slightly fragrant, in his arms. Run Ye's face was full of shyness.
"Well..."
"Brother Shaoan..."
Lights out.
A moment of spring night.
