life struggle

As soon as Wu Xiaojun entered the house, he shouted happily, "Father, mother, I'm back."

When Xiao Jun's mother heard her youngest son's voice, she hurriedly stood up to welcome her into the courtyard, she saw Bai Lingyan next to Xiao Jun, and she burst into joy, "Daughter, I hope you are back. You're exhausted, come in, come in."

Bai Lingyan said sweetly, "Auntie, happy new year, I wish you a happy new year."

It is a local custom that juniors should kneel and kowtow when they meet their elders to pay New Year's greetings.

How could Mrs. Xiaojun let Bai Lingyan kowtow to her, grabbed her hand and said cheerfully, "Girl, it's good to be back, it's good to be back, the year is far away, there is no need to pay New Year's greetings, no need to pay New Year's greetings."

Wu Pingshun also came out of the house and walked to the steps in front of the house, looked at Wu Xiaojun and Bai Lingyan and said calmly, "I'm back, is the journey going well? Your mother and I have been worrying and thinking about you all the time!"

Bai Lingyan smiled and said, "Hello, Uncle, there are not many people in the car, so it went smoothly."

Wu Xiaojun said, "When I got off the bus, I met my classmates from Houcun, which delayed me a bit."

Wu Pingshun said relievedly, "As long as there is nothing to do, it's very cold these days, let's go indoors and make a fire!"

The two entered the house and put down the luggage in their hands. Bai Lingyan sat on a small stool and looked around. The house was relatively plain and shabby, and there were hardly any decent things. This is the place where Xiaojun grew up. Far away, I couldn't help but feel sour.

Mrs. Xiaojun was very enthusiastic, she brought a pot of hot water from the kitchen, put a towel on her shoulder, and put it in front of Bai Lingyan, "Girl, wash your face quickly, the food will be hot in a while, you two eat something to fill your stomach." Fill your hunger."

Bai Lingyan stood up embarrassingly, took the towel, smiled, "Auntie, don't be too busy, I will do it myself."

Wu Xiaojun brought a bundle of firewood from outside, and after lighting it a few times, it failed to ignite. Wu Pingshun came in from outside and said, "You can't light it like this. Sit and rest for a while, and I'll get some." He squatted down, and soon the flames ignited. up.

Wu Xiaojun and Bai Lingyan sat in front of the fire and warmed up gently, and suddenly felt that their bodies were no longer warm or cold.

After a while, Mrs. Xiaojun brought the dishes over. Wu Xiaojun got up and wanted to help in the kitchen, but Mrs. Xiaojun stopped her heartily, "Xiaojun, I was cold, tired and hungry all the way, sitting by the fire. Just come."

The food was served, and the four of them sat around the small square table. Mrs. Xiaojun said enthusiastically, "Girl, it's your first time here, and there is nothing to entertain at home, so just let it go. Try our food here." Does the dish suit your appetite?"

Bai Lingyan looked at a table of dishes, all four meat and four vegetables, chicken, duck and fish. How could she have seen so many? She was flattered and said, "Auntie, you are not an outsider, you are too polite, how can you finish eating so much?" Ah! I am sorry for causing you so much trouble!"

Mrs. Xiaojun said openly, "Girl, not much, not much, I'm too happy to be happy, how can you say it's causing trouble, eat quickly!" She put a piece of fish and beef in Bai Lingyan's bowl, drumstick.

Bai Lingyan hurriedly said, "Auntie, you can eat too, I'll do it myself, I'll do it myself."

When the two were in the car, although they didn't eat much, they didn't feel hungry. When they got home, they relaxed and their appetite picked up.Bai Lingyan looked at Wu Xiaojun eating and talking to her father, she was very excited and happy, this is the power of family, she felt a sense of envy in her heart, she also smiled and ate the food, feeling that the taste of the food here is exactly the same as her own It's different, no matter what kind of dish suits my appetite, I want to eat more.

The return of Wu Xiaojun and Bai Lingyan really added a lot of spring to this dreary small courtyard. The old couple Wu Pingshun was happy in their hearts, and their faces were full of joy. The parents are short-sighted, and the endless kinship, let Bai Lingyan see the selfless love and compassion of the parents for their children and the weight of Wu Xiaojun in their hearts.

Seeing that Bai Lingyan was a little tired, Mrs. Xiaojun said distressedly, "Girl, Xiaojun, you are both tired, and you have to go to Xiaomei and Xiaoyun's house tomorrow to visit relatives, go to bed early!"

Wu Xiaojun said, "Okay!" and stood up.

Mrs. Xiaojun said, "Girl, I was so happy when I heard that you were coming. Let's go to that room. I've already prepared it for you."

Bai Lingyan followed Mrs. Xiaojun and Mrs. Wu Xiaojun out of the main room to the private room at the west end. Mrs. Xiaojun turned on the light and said with a smile, "Girl, it's cold here in winter, I'm afraid you won't get used to it, so I specially give it to you." I have prepared two quilts and three quilts, all of which were sewn last autumn and have never been used. Also, there is hot water in the thermos bottle under the table. If you wash your feet, you can pour some. There is a potty under the bed, so you don’t need to go out at night. To the restroom."

Bai Lingyan saw Xiao Junniang being so thoughtful and treating herself like her own daughter. She had never felt such strong family affection before, her nose sore, tears streaming down her face, and she said gratefully, " Auntie, you are so kind to me, I feel like I am at home, thank you for doing so much for me, you have been busy all day, please rest early."

Mrs. Xiaojun laughed and said, "Daughter, don't say such silly things. Auntie has nothing but joy when she sees you. The conditions in our countryside are not as good as those in the city. What's the matter?" Just say what you need, Auntie will definitely do it for you."

Bai Lingyan said ashamedly, "Auntie, these are enough, there is no need for anything else."

Wu Xiaojun said, "Swallow, it's getting late, you can sleep peacefully, I will call you tomorrow."

Bai Lingyan nodded in satisfaction.

The relatives of Wu Xiaojun's family are relatively close to each other. The next morning, I went to my second sister Xiaomei's house, and at noon I went to my eldest sister Xiaoyun's house.

When the two came out of Xiaoyun's house, Bai Lingyan was very excited, and said with a smile, "Xiaojun, your big plain is very different from our mountain. The field of vision is so wide. You can see dozens of miles at a glance. We I don’t even dare to think about it. Also, walking is very convenient, you can ride a bicycle if you want to, and it doesn’t take much effort if you want to walk, it really saves a lot of energy.”

Wu Xiaojun said with a slight smile, "This is how you feel about our place. To be honest, when I mentioned going to your house, my scalp felt a little numb and I couldn't get used to it."

Bai Lingyan said. "Yes, it's incomparable. Your two sisters' homes are not bad, and it's understandable to treat us better. Your family's economic conditions are so poor, and the preparations are even better than your two sisters' homes. Is it because I came For this reason, I feel really sorry for your parents."

Wu Xiaojun chuckled, "You're thinking too much, I didn't prepare it for you deliberately. There used to be a lot of people in the family, and it was usually very difficult. It was rare to have a chance to improve their lives. Only during the Chinese New Year, entertaining relatives will not make people feel inferior. In the cold, there are plenty of New Year’s goods every year. So after the Mid-Autumn Festival, my second sister and I began to look forward to the New Year every day, because there will be delicious food at that time. Gradually, the eldest brother and the second brother separated. My elder brother graduated from school to work, and my two elder sisters grew up. My father did some tree trading business during the slack season. Coupled with the changes in national policies, the weather was smooth and the harvest in the field was good. Every year, I raised a few pigs and cows. My family’s life The level is also in the upper middle level in several nearby villages, so the Chinese New Year is naturally better than before. The second year after my second sister got married, the original thatched house was washed away by the heavy rain, and a new brick house was barely built. After that, I lived in the county I seldom go home when I was in high school. There are only two parents left in the family. The burden of the ten acres of land falls on my parents. My father can’t leave. He can only earn some money by farming and raising livestock. Go to school. Although there are few people in the family, there is not a lot of expenses for ushering and sending miscellaneous things. The living conditions are indeed very tight. Even so, parents would rather eat less and spend less, and they are never stingy and stingy when entertaining guests So. Because there are many more families who come to visit relatives during the Spring Festival than before, neither the standard of New Year’s goods has been lowered, nor the number has never been reduced.”

Bai Lingyan listened quietly all the time, and said sympathetically, "It's hard for your parents. The situation is similar to my family. Fortunately, my father is a worker and gets paid. My overall feeling is that the people here are honest and honest. Simple, hospitable, and face-saving, the people there really can't do that."

Wu Xiaojun said, "That's right, that's it. But because of poverty and backwardness, the reputation has always been poor. After nearly 20 years of development after the reform and opening up, the overall development of our place has changed quite a lot, except that the problem of food and clothing has been completely solved. Moreover, housing conditions have improved significantly. Before the early 90s, there were almost all adobe thatched houses. It was difficult to see anyone living in a brick and tile house. Now it is difficult to see thatched houses. Nowadays, young people in rural areas must have a newly built courtyard house to get married. , otherwise boys will not be able to marry a wife. To tell you the truth, if I don’t go to college for five years, my children can run around now.”

Bai Lingyan chuckled and said, "It seems that going to college delayed you."

Wu Xiaojun smiled and said, "You can't say that. They don't go to school, don't marry wives and have children. For parents, the children will be finished early, calm down and relieved. It's hard to think about it. You are just here, Go around and have a look, maybe there will be new discoveries.”

Bai Lingyan said, "It's rare to come here once, I will cherish this trip."

The two returned home happily. Bai Lingyan saw that Mrs. Jun was digging grass and seasoning for the cow in the cow house, and said with a smile, "Auntie, let me do it."

Mrs. Xiaojun said, "No, just rest."

Bai Lingyan said, "Looking at the cows is like being in my house. I also have cows in my house. Let me feed them too."

Mrs. Xiao Jun said happily, "Well, it's really a good payback. Those who come from the countryside are different. A few years ago, your third sister-in-law Zhu Chunyan came to the house for the first time and saw the cow hiding far away. Stepping on cow dung, of course, it's normal for her to have no contact with it since she was a child."

Bai Lingyan mixed the fodder with a straw stick in her hand and said, "Really, I have no feelings for us farmers. When I was a child, I mowed grass at home, carried water from the mountains, and fed pigs and cows. There is nothing wrong with it, but it is a pity that there are fewer and fewer opportunities to go to school away from home."

Xiaojun's mother said, "Your uncle and I are the only two left at home. Although Xiaojun has been going to school these years, he has done nothing during the busy farming season. It is impossible not to do it."

Bai Lingyan said, "Jiaomai fried beans are all urgent matters. No one can do it without labor. It's really good that Xiaojun can do this."

The two happily came out of the cow house and came to the main room. Wu Pingshun said, "Xiaojun, Lingyan, when your third brother and Chunyan came back in the first year of junior high school, they said that your classmate Luo Xiao's parents are going to the county seat tomorrow. Please let your mother and I say that Xiaojun has helped his family a lot, so we can meet and get together. Chunyan thinks this is a good thing, so she can't refuse to agree. Don't go to other relatives tomorrow morning, the four of us Let's go to Xiaosen together."