The children of the Qiao family

Chapter 13

Old doctor Wei carried Qiqi over and said to Qi Weimin: "Speak slowly."

Qi Weimin was a little embarrassed: my brother can't walk.Please show it, please!After thinking about it, I added: My brother and I will repay you, for sure!
Old Doctor Wei smiled, and carried Qiqi into a rather large room, followed by a group of young doctors behind him.Old Doctor Wei rushed to the door and said: Come in too, young man.

Qi Weimin walked in and watched Doctor Wei put Qiqi on a tall table covered with a snow-white sheet, which was as big as a ping-pong table.

Qiqi was extremely restless, constantly turning his little head.

Old Doctor Wei motioned for the students to hold Qiqi down, but he took a pen from his breast pocket, drew something on his left thumb, and waved that thumb in front of Qiqi's eyes.

Seeing the funny smiling face on that thumb, Qi Qi immediately fell silent.

Old Doctor Wei asked: Have you seen it before?

Qi Weimin hurriedly replied: I have seen it, I just read it here, and said it might be polio, and I told him to exercise more, but my brother has rolled a salt water bottle for half a month. up.

Old Doctor Wei put Qiqi's legs together.

Old Doctor Wei smiled: It's not polio, come on, everyone come and see.In polio, the sick leg will be a little shorter than the good leg, but for this child, the sick leg will grow a little longer than the good leg. This is typical hip bursitis.

Qi Weimin was made even more nervous by this complicated name: Does it matter, does it matter?
Old Doctor Wei said: It doesn't matter.Take him home, use a hot water bottle to warm him up, let him rest, and don't move around anymore.A week or so will be fine.

As he said that, he took the stethoscope hanging around his neck and rubbed it with his hand first, then reached into Qiqi's clothes and listened, then pulled Qiqi's protruding ears and said: "Little guy, you are very healthy, just a little thinner. Wrestling!" Don't be afraid, if you fall and fall, you will grow up.

Qi Weimin held Qiqi in his arms, and didn't know what to say, so it took him a long time to say: My brother and I will definitely repay you in the future!Certainly!

Old Doctor Wei laughed: I can live a few more years, I can't wait for you young man.

Qi Weimin said: I will definitely repay you. Anyway, I just want to repay you.

Old Doctor Wei looked at him and said, "Young man, you are very benevolent. Being a brother is a predestined relationship, so we should cherish it."

Qi Weimin nodded vigorously: I remember.I will cherish and repay you!
Qi Qi seemed to know that she was fine, so she became happy, and lay on her brother's shoulder, only showing a pair of eyes, which were full of smiles, and suddenly stretched out her hand to Old Doctor Wei, and showed the coin.money!he said cheerfully.

Everyone in the room laughed.

Qi Weimin didn't ask his mother's opinion, and took Qiqi home directly.

The second aunt saw it, and it was very strange.

What did you do to bring him back again?Let me tell you, son, you can't be confused, and you can't drag him down for the rest of your life.If you are really reluctant to part with him, we will give him a little money to see a doctor.

Qi Weimin said: Qiqi is fine, the doctor misdiagnosed her last time.

After speaking, he filled a hot water bottle and gave Qiqi a hot compress.

The second aunt felt that the eldest son, who has always been loyal, was a little angry today. He was wondering, and heard Qi Weimin say again: Mom, don't keep thinking about sending Qiqi away. , Got it, I'm angry with you again.

The second aunt was shocked by his two words, she was worried, and asked after a while: Are you really all right?
Qi Weimin bent down and propped his arms on the bed, looking at the little guy Qiao Qiqi who seemed to be asleep after a day of exhaustion. He always liked to use this posture to look at his sleeping brother and sister, and Qiqi, and felt that they seemed to be His reflection in the water.

It's okay, Qi Weimin said.

Qiao Qiqi was fine as expected, after two days of hot compress, the pain improved a lot, and after resting for a few days, he went down to the ground.Ten days later, the little guy was able to run again.

As soon as he saw Qi Weimin coming home from get out of class, he ran towards him, laying hands and legs on his brother.

Qi Weimin picked him up, and the second aunt laughed: I really can't send him away now.

Qi Weimin said to Qiqi: Don't give it away, brother will support you.

Qi Qi repeated childishly: No delivery, no delivery.

5
In [-], Qiao Yicheng was a sophomore in high school.

In the evening, the time of "News Network" is seven o'clock.At this time, the sound of news broadcasting came from the radios of every household in the alley, mixed with the sound of cooking pots and oily smoke, the whole alley was floating in the sound and air, like a moored boat dangling in the light waves. Boat.

Some people set up small stalls on the street, and no one will chase them away anymore. In the free market, you can buy fresh vegetables.

Only one person in the Qiao family works, and the economic conditions have not been very good, but they have just come here, and they are not without happiness.

There is a stove in the old house in winter and it is no longer cold, but it is very cool in summer. I boiled a pot of mung bean soup and pulled it out with well water. Er Qiang said: It’s so delicious that you can’t bear to throw it away.

Er Qiang, who is only thirteen or fourteen years old, has completely lost his desire to study.Every day, he followed behind the older children of the neighbor Niu's son.Niu Ye's father was getting older, he stopped sailing, and started a business with others, and his family was more prosperous than before.It is said that a sailor is more miserable than a monk when he is adrift at sea, and he treats his wife and children as treasures. This Niu Ye is really spoiled by his father.Wearing bell-bottom pants, with hair so long that it could be braided, he walked on the street with a Sanyo tape recorder all day long, listening to Teresa Teng and Liu Wenzheng, followed by a group of half-grown boys, ostentatiously passing through the market.Er Qiang is the youngest among them, he is looked down upon by the big boys, and they often bombard him like a chicken.Er Qiang has a thick skin and a sweet mouth, he doesn't drive away, he calls everyone his elder brother, a piece of brown candy.

Qiao Yicheng really couldn't see his younger brother Qiao Erqiang being so stupid and cheap, he scolded him several times, Qiao Yicheng said: Can you compare with Niu Ye?His old man used to work as a seaman on a ship, earning a three-figure salary a month, but now he is doing business and earning a lot of money. Of course he can be at ease.How about you?How do you compare with him?Even if you can't study, you can still learn a craft, support yourself in the future, and be a responsible man.Don't be dissatisfied. If you want to live a comfortable life, eat well and wear well, you can listen to music, watch TV, and hang out on the street. Remember to reincarnate with your eyes open in your next life!
Having been the parent of his younger siblings for several years, 17-year-old Qiao Yicheng's face is still verdant Yangzhou green, but inside, he looks like pickled potherb mustard.

The kid Er Qiang has a slow mind, no matter whether you are angry or scolded, he just keeps a playful smile on his face, and Qiao Yicheng just let him go with a piece of frozen pork that doesn't contain oil or salt.

He was still as inquisitive as he was when he was a child, describing to his father, brother and sister at the dinner table a new Xiangxuehai brand single-door refrigerator in Niu Ye's house from time to time.

Their family puts all overnight food in the refrigerator, and it will not go bad after three days, Er Qiang said.

Qiao Zuwang said: Let’s not say that our family can’t afford that thing, but we can afford it. With you foodies at home, where will there be anything left? What can the refrigerator do when it’s empty? Could it be filled with cotton tires?

Qiao Yicheng lowered his head, and when he heard his father say the word "foodie", he raised his eyes to Qiao Zuwang.Qiao Zuwang, who was about to point to Yicheng's nose, spun the tip of the chopstick in the air, and landed on the tip of Simei's nose.

Er Qiang also told his family members that Niu Ye's mother actually opened the door of the refrigerator during the hottest few days before to let the cold air out, and the place next to the refrigerator was extremely cool. Niu Ye's mother didn't care at all for the pointer whirring like crazy.

Qiao Zuwang said: That woman's brain is broken.

On this day Er Qiang asked for a pair of flared trousers, or a Hong Kong shirt (actually a T-shirt), and was scolded by Qiao Yicheng. Er Qiang saw that this matter was completely impossible, and was a little ashamed .

After two months, something happened to the child again.

In his class, someone lost money.

Many people suspected that it was Qiao Erqiang. Erqiang said that he did not steal, and the teacher called Qiao Yicheng to the school.

This year, Erqiang just entered the third-rate middle school from the third-rate primary school. In the grade book, the primary school teacher's comments were sarcasm and helpless. Not very happy with him.

Qiao Yicheng asked Er Qiang in front of the teacher with a stern face: Did you steal the money?
Er Qiang said: No!No!
The teacher pulled Er Qiang's schoolbag, and pulled out a ball of light blue cloth from it. When he unfolded it, it was a "Hong Kong shirt".

The teacher said: Did your family give him money to buy this?

Answer honestly: No.My heart began to vibrate slightly and felt weak.

So where did he get the money to buy it?the teacher asked.

Where did you get the money from?

The second strong man began to hesitate, I didn't steal any money anyway, if I didn't, I didn't!

The teacher said: Some students reported that Qiao Erqiang suddenly had such a fashionable dress in the past few days. He went out of the house every morning and hid in the public toilet to change. After school in the afternoon, he hid and changed back to the original clothes. Come on, he doesn't want his family to know the origin of this dress. It belongs to the family and the school and both sides cheat it, right?

Yicheng turned pale, and asked Erqiang again: Let me ask you again, where did the money come from?
Er Qiang said: My own.

How much is a Hong Kong shirt?[-]% asked.

Thirteen or fourteen yuan, it's not cheap.

Yicheng said: "Teacher, I will take my brother back for education, and I will report to you after clarifying the matter."

When he got home, Qiao Yicheng stuffed his mother's portrait into Qiao Erqiang's arms and said: Tell the truth to the goddamn soul in heaven, where did you get the money?Is it stolen?
The young mother, through the cold glass, looked at the eldest son in anger with dark eyes.

Er Qiang said: It wasn't stolen, no.

Yicheng said: Let me tell you, no one can make fun of my mother's soul.

Er Qiang burst into tears and snot: I didn’t steal it, I saved my breakfast money and car ride money to buy it.

After entering middle school, Yicheng gave Qiao Erqiang some pocket money every month.

Yicheng asked: Did you buy a monthly pass this month?
Erqiang said: I didn't buy it, and I didn't eat breakfast.

The next day, Qiao Yicheng took his younger brother to explain the situation to the teacher. It seemed that the teacher didn't believe him.Qiao Yicheng pretended to be angry, and became more courageous. Together with Er Qiang, he tried to argue with those who framed Er Qiang.

Qiao Yicheng was a frail scholar, Qiao Erqiang could only curse with one mouth, the two brothers were beaten badly, Qiao Yicheng had a half-breasted nosebleed, and Erqiang's face was half swollen.

Then Er Qiang turned his face away and forgot everything else, after school, he went behind Niu Ye's big boys again.

Er Qiang has always been as thin as he was when he was a child, with his shoulder blades raised and tall. In the words of the neighbors, he is like a chicken head fruit, which has not grown. (Note: Chicken head fruit, that is, Gorgon fruit, chicken head rice, is very small, so it is used in dialects to describe a boy's thinness and naughtiness.)
Qiao Yicheng looked at the corners of his brother's blue eyes, the flattering expression on his face, and the ignorant and fearless smile, and his heart suddenly tugged.

In the evening, Er Qiang approached his elder brother mysteriously and said: Brother, let me show you a good thing. Niu Ye lent it to me for one night only.

As he spoke, he handed over a song paper attached to a cassette tape with a photo of the singer on it.

She is Teresa Teng, you know that?Er Qiang said.

Yicheng didn't look sideways: Don't listen to that, our school forbids us to listen to her songs, they are all melodramatic.

Erqiang agreed on the surface, but secretly copied the lyrics on the small book, and made transparent paper to attach it to the song paper, and secretly described the appearance of the female singer named Teresa Teng .

Yicheng saw it and wanted to talk about him, but somehow swallowed the words back into his stomach and said: Go to sleep, you have class tomorrow.

Er Qiang was puzzled by the sudden soft words of the elder brother.

When he fell asleep, Qiao Yicheng couldn't help but take out the song paper to read.

The female singer has a round face, watery almond eyes, short satin-like hair, a gentle expression, wearing a plain cheongsam, holding a palace fan, not alluring.Below is the very small lettering:
you ask me how much i love you
how much i love you
你 去 想 一 想

你 去 看 一看

the moon represents my heart

A few years later, when Qiao Yicheng heard this song at the entrance of the video store, he stopped for a long time in a daze.

The tune is euphemistically unfamiliar, but the lyrics are as familiar as branding on the skin.

In the second year, Qiao Yicheng entered the second semester of senior three.

Qiao Yicheng's senior year in high school was spent studying hard.During this year, he became yellow and thin like a little old man, and the prescription of his glasses increased by [-] degrees.

In the last half of the month, the school was on vacation and students were asked to go back to review by themselves, and the teacher was in the school to receive students who came to ask questions at any time.

Since the fourth grade of elementary school, Qiao Yi has been waiting for this opportunity to jump into the Dragon Gate for almost ten years, and has worked hard for almost ten years.

The summer of this year was surprisingly hot. Qiao Yicheng was reviewing in the main room. In the first half of the night, the mosquitoes slammed into his bare skin, making it impossible to escape. He lighted two coils of mosquito coils to get better.

That kind of mosquito-repellent incense is crisp, hard and easy to break, with strong smoke and strong smell, and it will go out every now and then, but it is the cheapest thing in the grocery store. You can buy a large stack for two yuan, which is really a bargain.

Qiao Yicheng's greatest enjoyment is to review until nine o'clock every night, get up and take a big enamel tea pot to the snack shop at the entrance of the alley to buy a pot of back-salted and dried soup, boiled in soybean sprouts and Dried tofu, full of chili sauce, sweating profusely after eating, taking a cold shower with warm water, and then reviewing.

When filling in the application form, Qiao Yicheng did not think twice like his classmates, but filled in Nanjing Normal University in all the columns at once.Disobedience to deployment.

There is no tuition fee for studying in a normal school, and the state also subsidizes the food every month. This is Qiao Yicheng's best and only way out.

Qiao Yicheng thought, if he doesn't succeed, he will succeed.

The teacher took his volunteer form and said that according to his grades, it's a pity, it's a pity.

That's how the black July passed.

No one sent Qiao Yicheng into the examination room, and no one waited for him outside.

In the morning, he carried a pot of cold water on his back, brought the necessary supplies for the exam, entered the exam room, and took the exam.At noon, I bought two flower rolls, drank cold boiled water, and ate two pieces of peeled walnuts to nourish my brain. I continued the exam in the afternoon.

After the last exam, Qiao Yicheng saw a beautiful sunset in front of the exam room. Orange-red clouds spread in the duck-egg blue sky, and the color was simple and magnificent.

Qiao Yicheng saw Qiao Erqiang, sitting on the guardrail by the side of the street, with a wet towel on his head, waiting for him.

In mid-August, Qiao Yicheng received the admission notice from the Chinese Department of Normal University.

This area, the streets and alleys, were all shaken. During the day, there were children looking in through the courtyard door, looking at college students.

That night, Qiao Zuwang got off the night shift and forgot to bring the key, Qiao Yicheng opened the door for him in a daze.

Qiao Zu looked at his eldest son, and suddenly asked, "Are you hungry? Let me serve you a bowl of noodles?"
Qiao Yicheng was stunned.

There are actually two eggs lying in the noodles.

Qiao Zuwang looked at his son picking noodles to eat, and said: I really didn't expect that a college student was born in our family. This is something that has never happened in three lifetimes. It is really smoke from the ancestral grave. I will go to your grandfather's grave later. I just don't know if the tomb can be found or not. I remember it was near the Huashen Temple.

Qiao Yicheng didn't speak.

Qiao Zuwang said again: It would be great if the second-ranked ones could read like you.Alas, but our family can't afford a few college students, unless they all go to normal schools.Xiaoqi is almost six years old, right?They let him go to kindergarten, and now it’s not like a few years ago. Children must be sent to kindergarten. The teacher said that children who have attended kindergarten are different from those who have not.

Qiao Yicheng still didn't answer.

Qiao Zu looked at him, and teased his son: We will get the bonus soon. I can make you a new suit, or you can buy it. It’s more presentable than making it, or do you want to buy a watch?
Qiao Yicheng didn't speak, took an egg out of the bowl, and pushed the small bowl in front of Qiao Zuwang.

Qiao Zuwang said: You eat what you eat.

Qiao Yicheng couldn't bear it anymore, and finally raised his eyes to look at his father.

Over the years, Qiao Yicheng thought, their brothers and sisters are like a litter of piglets, they grow up in a trough, how could this man have any warmth and care?

For many years, Qiao Yicheng thought that this night was full of mysteries, maybe the old man drank too much, or something was wrong.

Or maybe it's because, no matter how rogue, selfish, or inhuman a man lives his whole life, there will always be a day, or a certain moment, when he will be like a person, like a father.

This night, it was a tattoo on Qiao Yi's mind. It has been blurred for a long time, but it has also penetrated into the flesh and blood.

Qi Weimin was also admitted to the university. Qiao Yicheng never knew which school he applied to. The second aunt liked face and refused to make it public before it came true, for fear of being ridiculed.

When Qiao Yicheng finally found out about Qi Weimin's test scores and the school he attended, he was surprised again.

(End of this chapter)