My family lives in Songhe Middle School, where my father worked as a teacher all my life, and where my mother and I gave birth to my sister. When I got home, my parents were naturally happy and then said that I had lost weight. They tried their best to supplement my nutrition, but I didn't eat much. Because it's really hot. Hearing my complaints, my mother said that it is ok to buy air conditioners, but you have to pay tuition next semester, and you are looking for a job soon. Maybe when will you use the money? As she spoke, the sweat on her forehead hung down. As parents, they are really long-term, and always take my studies to heart, so I don't take air conditioning to heart. During the day, if my classmates come to see me, I will go out to play with them or go swimming in Song He, but more often, I prefer to go swimming alone. The rest of the time is at home, either watching TV or sleeping. This book is too lazy to turn a page. I have to admit that I was much more diligent in high school than I am now.
If there is no good TV program, especially at night, I will come out from home and walk around the open space in front of the canteen at the corner of the alley to listen to their gossip. The canteen is run by Hu Kechang of the school logistics department. As soon as the summer vacation is over, the business of the canteen will naturally be much weaker, because there are no students to patronize. But old ladies like to go to this place to chat with fans. They think it is more lively here than at home. Mother and Mrs Xu are frequent visitors. Mrs Xu is more than ten years older than her mother. She used to cook in the school cafeteria. Her husband, Mr. Song, died a few years ago, and all her children became families. She is the only one guarding two empty rooms. Mother, Mrs. Xu and her wife Hu often chat late into the night. And Mrs Xu is always the last one to go home. Some people listened while shopping, listened for a while and then left. They think there is nothing to talk about in such a hot day. And they all have the same background. In her early years, she followed her husband to the city and became a housewife. Naturally, there is a lot of gossip.
My father often goes to the canteen. He likes to exchange current news in newspapers and TV with section chief Hu. Of course, they will also express their views, just like two politicians are talking. Women don't care about politics, they have their own topics. Because of my joining, their topic led to me. Hu's wife asked me if I had a date, but I saidno. They said that talking about the wrong person early would delay my studies. Mrs. Xu said that children grow up so fast, and they are so tall in just a few years. I am proud of my promise. Mother looks modest, but in fact she has been showing off herself. All three children are college students, and two of them have graduated. Zhenhua (elder brother) stayed in the provincial capital, and Zhenming (elder sister) worked in the Song He Municipal Taxation Bureau. This is naturally incomparable between Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Hu Kechang. Mrs Xu has two sons. The eldest son has been working since he was in high school, and now he faces unemployment. The second son graduated from a technical school but did nothing. He didn't see anyone all day. Although section chief Hu's son is still young, he will be promoted to the third grade after the summer vacation, but the little guy is a fool, who doesn't begin to understand, and seems to have no future. Mother comforted Hu's wife and said, the child is still young, where can I find it now? Then mother changed the subject and said something that made them happier. She said that Zhenhua has done a good job in the provincial capital and will soon be promoted to director. She also said that Zhenhua and Zhenming had agreed that the two brothers and sisters should invest in installing air conditioners at home, but she let her down. Hearing this, Mrs. Xu and Mr. Hu's wife both said that the child was really capable and filial. They are not happy, but envious, and their tone also reveals their own sadness.
Mom went home. I told her my brother hasn't mentioned it yet. You say you have something to show off, but if you do, what do you have to show off? Mom was puzzled, and I didn't show off much. I am telling the truth. Your brother called and said it himself. At this time, my father interrupted me, and your brother said that he had examined everything. It must be a foregone conclusion. I shrugged and said, what do you have to disclose about this little thing? It's really vulgar, not to mention just a place pair. The vulgar mother said that sooner or later, it will be right.
One night the weather was cooler, and a heavy rain in the afternoon washed away the hot air all over the sky. Everyone is in a good mood. They gathered noisily in the light of the canteen to chat. From time to time, the rain dripped on the bare arms of the men from the plane leaves, and suddenly a small flower opened, which made them feel comfortable from the heart. Chatting and chatting, some people suddenly realized that in such cool weather, why not go home and enjoy it and stay outside? So I was nodded by a clever head and scattered one by one. There were only four people left in the end. My father and I discussed whether I should take the postgraduate entrance examination. Mrs. SEO has been sitting among us, and section chief Hu is at the counter instead of his wife. Because there are two spectators, the argument between father and son seems more reasonable. In fact, Mrs. Xu buried her head between her open legs and fell asleep. She snores like a cicada at night. Hu also squinting, seems to be listening. My dad reprimanded me and looked up and said to section chief Hu, turn it off. Hu Lian said, it's okay. My father continued to enlighten me and said, in fact, this problem is very simple, just like climbing a mountain. The higher you climb, the more scenery you will see. You should take the postgraduate entrance examination, so the way out will be much wider. Speaking of the way out, I am willing to continue to discuss with my father. I retorted that according to your meaning, the way out for postgraduate entrance examination is to find a better job. What is the way out for work? Promotion, wealth, reputation and status are nothing more than these, but we all know that a person's ultimate way out can only be death, and everything will end in death. So, in that case, what's the use of a way out? Speaking of death, my father is willing to continue to discuss with me. He said, your point of view is too negative and naive. People are bound to die, but death does not mean death. As Chairman Mao said, people are inherently mortal, which is heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather. This is the meaning of death. Speaking of meaning, I don't think I have anything to say to my father, a secular man. I think our discussion is meaningless. During our silence, Mrs. Xu looked up and said to us, I didn't see it. You and your son get along well. Indeed, this father has always been dignified and never smiles in front of his children. Father smiled and said, I'm giving him a lesson. Children need education. Without education, there will be no success. Mrs Xu buried her head again. My father and I stood up to go home and continue the debate. He greeted section chief Hu, and then asked Mrs. Xu to come home. We live in an alley, just a few steps inside. Mrs Xu said that she would sit down for a while. She also went home alone. In other words, as soon as we left, section chief Hu closed the door and she stayed at home.
The next day, Mrs. Xu didn't go out and everyone didn't care. At noon on the third day, Mrs. Xu's eldest daughter-in-law led her son to get something, only to know that she had a cold. In the afternoon, mother told Hu's wife that Mrs Xu was ill and wanted to buy something to see her. As an old neighbor for many years, it is also appropriate to express condolences. After visiting Mrs. Xu, her mother came home and told her father that she seemed very ill. She kept complaining about her eldest daughter-in-law As soon as the daughter-in-law met, she cursed Mrs. Xu for her quick death and said that the family would move back to live early. Look at that bitch laughing. She is not as vicious as Cheng Xiang. My father looked up from the newspaper and said he was poor. Then he told me that my husband, Miss Song, almost killed me before. You were too young to remember, so we left him alone. If it weren't for my help, the school would subsidize Lao Xu with some money every month. She doesn't drink northwest wind all the year round, so you see, the key to being a man is the atmosphere. I don't discuss with my father about being a man, but I am willing to agree with him.
A few days later, Mrs Xu came out. She always walks with her head down and her hair looks a little messy. I walked past her in the sun, ready to say hello to her, but she pretended not to know, and her head passed. In the evening, she went to the canteen to enjoy the cool, and even when she went, she seldom talked. The cold doesn't seem to be over yet. One day at noon, Mrs Xu found her mother. First, she thanked her mother for her visit. Mother is a polite person. After so many days, Mrs. Xu didn't thank her for her kindness. Even a word annoyed her. But it's okay now. My mother began to comfort her and scolded her for her unfilial eldest daughter-in-law. They woke me up from my nap. Mrs. Xu said that after the summer vacation, she was going to set up a stall at the school gate. She said the money was about to be saved. Mom said, if I'm not afraid of shame, I'll go with you. If mother is willing to put down her face, Mrs. Xu is really happy. Of course, Mrs. Xu may think that her mother won't set up a stall, just to comfort her. They talked for a while. Mrs. Xu suddenly lowered her voice and said to her mother, Do you know anything? Mother was puzzled and asked what it was. Mrs. Xu lowered her voice even lower. You really don't know? Everybody knows that. You really don't know? Didn't the deer tell you? (The deer's mother is his wife Hu. Judging from her tone, it seems very wrong for mother not to know that. It's really wrong I pricked up my ears in the bedroom for a long time, and finally Mrs. Xu lost her temper and said it. She hesitated for a long time. It turned out that her second son was arrested for drug trafficking in the south a month ago, and the sentence was affirmative. Maybe he will be shot. But the crux of the problem is that only mother deer saw the day when the Public Security Bureau went to her house. She thought it must be spread by mother deer. That woman with a big mouth is really vicious. She used the phrase "the most poisonous woman's heart". From Mrs. Xu's narrative, I seem to see such a scene. As long as someone goes to the grocery store to buy things, section chief Hu's wife turns on the big speaker and sends messages for free. Mother asked her if she had asked the deer's mother. Mrs. Xu said, I didn't find it! Are you still using the correct certificate? She must have spread it. Mrs. Xu couldn't help crying as she spoke, and her mother kept comforting her. Finally, she got up and said to her mother, still sobbing, don't pass it on, or where will my old face go? Mother nodded gravely, her eyes full of trust.
Father is used to playing gateball in Songhe Park in the morning. Mrs Xu likes to get up early in the morning and shake her arms. One day, Mrs. Xu suddenly put her arm down on the road to stop her father from telling her about her second son. In fact, my father has learned from my mother, but he tries his best to show ignorance. Mrs Xu's mysterious tone is similar to her mother's. Finally, Mrs. Xu said to her father, don't pass it on, or where will my old face go? Father was anxious to leave, but he nodded solemnly and agreed. At lunch, my parents talked about it. Mother couldn't hold it any longer, and said, shall we call mother deer? Did she send it or not? Father stopped her. What are you doing? It is someone else's business to pass it on or not. Why did you offend that man? I guess Lao Xu has a mental problem. Look at her. She has been in a trance all day. She has to tell everyone she knows. There must be something wrong with her brain. In fact, what's the name of Guangming was arrested in the south six months ago, and everyone knows this. Guangming is Mrs Xu's second son. I'm tired of listening to what they are talking about. I don't want to stay at home, I want to go back to school early, and the boring life at school seems to suddenly become vivid.
Just a few days before I went back to school, Mrs. Xu hanged herself at home. People who learned the news crowded into the alley. The first person to see Mrs Xu hanging from a tree was her grandson Xiao Pang, her eldest son Xiao Pang's son. Xiao Pang was assigned by her mother to get things from her grandmother's house. It was 90 o'clock in the morning. Xiao Pang knocked on the door several times and shouted "Grandma" several times, but nothing happened in the yard. Xiao Pang reached under the door and pulled out the bolt. The door of the house is unlocked. Xiao Pang called "Grandma" and went in. He walked around the house without finding his grandmother. Xiao Pang turned around and suddenly saw a colorful thing hanging by the eucalyptus tree behind the courtyard gate. It turned out that his grandmother was wearing the shroud that she often showed him, hanging on a wooden stick between the eucalyptus tree and the courtyard wall. Her feet just left the ground and the small bench leaned on one side. Xiao pang began to think that grandma was not dead, so she went forward and hugged her leg, trying to hold her down. Xiao Pang's strength is too small. He knocked down a shoe of his grandmother. He suddenly realized that his grandmother, who had been silent for a long time, was dead and immediately rushed to the door to call for help. Xiao Pang wet his pants with fear. When the adults heard the news, in the face of this lifeless woman, they didn't know whether to put Mrs. Xu down. Because no one can decide without her son present. So before Mrs. Xu's eldest son and daughter-in-law arrived, Mrs. Xu put her neck on a hemp rope and watched everyone for nearly an hour. Hot air blew on her cold body, trembling slightly. The moustache in the school security office has been closed, trying not to let more people come in and watch. It is judged that Mrs Xu was hanged at about eleven o'clock last night.
I heard about Mrs. Xu's hanging, so I went to her house to have a look. Everyone left at that time, except my father and some helpers. Some curious people don't want to leave. I didn't see some details above, just an imagination based on people's comments. I saw Mrs. Xu lying on the bed in her room, her mouth closed and her face was pale. And my tongue didn't stick out. I seem to see jujube trees for the first time. The stick is still on it, and the thick hemp rope of the little finger is tied into a circle, which is empty. I pass by her house every day, but I didn't notice there was such a tree behind it, which seemed to grow temporarily for Mrs. Xu to hang herself.
Mrs. SEO is not a school employee, so the funeral can only be arranged by her son himself. We must finish it as soon as possible. The body can't stop in hot weather. Why isn't Mrs Xu Hang in the house by herself? Several people around her eldest daughter-in-law asked. The latter is not sad at all, naturally. She said with a sigh of relief that the beam on the roof was too high for her to hang the rope. I saw it with my own eyes. I took it off. She has long wanted to die. She wanted to die a few years ago. Once, I saw her sitting on the floor of the room, putting a rope around her neck and trying to strangle herself. Xiaopang's mother said, clenching her fists with both hands, crossing left and right, making a clenched action.
My mother happened to go to my sister's house those days. By the time she came back, Mrs. Xu's affairs had been taken care of. The ash tree in the yard was also cut down, as if it had never grown. Mother felt sorry for not seeing Mrs. Xu for the last time. Mother said that Mrs. Xu did a good job in needlework and said that she would sew a shroud for herself. We were eating at that time. When it comes to Mrs Xu, her face always shakes in front of my eyes. She looked up from the darkness, her criss-crossing wrinkles were hidden in the darkness, and told my father at me that you and your son got along well. Seeing her faint eyes in the dark, my heart suddenly mentioned my chest and my whole body was cold. It seems that she has been staring at me. How could she strangle herself with a rope? My father told my mother that Lao Xu came to see you the night before he hanged himself. I said you went to Zhenming's house, and she didn't touch the ground when she left. Mother sighed and said, I wish I hadn't gone to Zhenming's house. I can still convince her. Mother felt very sad. She was very sad because she missed the opportunity to save Mrs. Xu's life in time. Father said, I guess she came to say goodbye to you. It's no use persuading her. Can you stop a man who is determined to die?