Left-behind women in Fuzhou

Chapter 18 The Story of Jingrong (5)
Ailin said that they came to China to teach voluntarily. When they were young, they read many Chinese myths and stories, such as Cowherd and Weaver Girl, Meng Jiangnu crying on the Great Wall, Houyi who shot down the sun, Jingwei who filled the sea... this oriental The mysterious country of China fascinates them so much. In their young memories, it is the place where the sun rises, and there is an infinitely vast grassland. On the grassland, flocks of sheep run as far as the eye can see, and there is a towering sky. On the mountain peak, there are splendid palaces standing on the mountain peak, in which the legendary princess and prince live.

However, when they came to China, they were disappointed.This country is not as beautiful as they imagined.The pollution of the environment has reached the warning line of survival, the desert is spreading to the human habitat step by step, and the rivers are destroyed. The once green mountains and green waters only exist in people's legends; power out of control leads to rampant corruption Helpless, the majority of the people are struggling to survive, while a very small number of people who embezzle state property and illegal profiteers spend a lot of money; Law and order is extremely chaotic.The excessive pursuit of money makes the people of the whole country appear impetuous and anxious. Self-interest becomes the moral yardstick of people, while national interests and helping others are left behind by people.

Listening to the words of Aylin and Martha, I don't know what to say. I clearly know that what they say is the truth. In fact, people lose their spiritual support, people lose the standard of judging right and wrong, and people live without knowing why. People don't know the meaning of everyday life.In that fiery era, what people pursued was to realize communism and the liberation of all mankind.When one day, people feel that the pursuit is a castle in the air, people's spiritual pillars and moral defenses collapse overnight, and then they are at a loss.Only the mania for money remains.

A person who has no pursuit will become a meaningless and tasteless bastard. That kind of life is a life like a pig, a life of walking dead.However, a person who only pursues money is also a boring and monotonous life.There is no end to money and endless pursuit, so he will never be satisfied, never stop in a hurry, and he will never be happy.A life without money is poor and desolate, but a life with only money is also empty.Money is not everything in life.

Later, when I was climbing Drum Mountain, I saw Aylin and Martha. They were carrying plastic bags and picking up people’s discarded garbage along the road. They said that every week, they would come to Drum Mountain to do this kind of work. very meaningful thing.

Ah Qing and I once went to the home of Ailin and Martha’s school in Fuzhou. Their home was extremely simple, simpler than many families in China. A small-screen TV was the only big luxury in that home. Single beds joined together, four pairs of shoes, two for men and two for women.Then there are hundreds of books, some in Chinese, English and Swedish.

According to Martha, a co-worker got married and bought a new TV set, and the old one was given to them.

I am in awe.

They don't have much money, but they live happily.

I have also heard Master Huijing say something like this.Master Huijing said that those who come to the Beifeng temple to pray for Buddha are all asking the Lord Buddha to bless them to make a lot of money.Why do people in the world of mortals pursue money so fanatically? There are many happiness in the world that money can never buy.

Master Huijing said, where is happiness?Happiness is actually by your side.Your family is in good health, your children have excellent grades, you have no worries about food and clothing today, and you can return home safely at night, this is happiness.Happiness is living in the moment.

Every summer, there are many typhoons in Fuzhou.Typhoons are a specialty of this coastal city.Because the typhoon always comes to harass from time to time like a naughty child, the original fear of it has lost its ferocity and intimidation in people's hearts. People in Fuzhou talk about typhoons as casually and calmly as they talk about changing clothes when the seasons change.When every typhoon is raging, people still go to and from get off work as usual, shopping and setting up stalls.

However, the typhoon went northward from Fuzhou and its power increased sharply after reaching northern Fujian, bringing serious disasters to northern Fujian every time.Northern Fujian is mountainous, and the typhoon caused flash floods and mudslides. Houses were washed away, bridges were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to relocate.

In the summer of 2005, when the first typhoon came, I went to Guangze County in northern Fujian for interviews.It is said that the name of this county is related to the national hero Qi Jiguang. Qi Jiguang once repeatedly defeated the Japanese pirates who crossed the ocean and landed and invaded here, defending the dignity of the Chinese nation.There is a specialty snack here called "Guangbing", which was Qi Jiguang's military ration.

Every time a typhoon strikes, the luster located in the mountains is hard to escape.

When I went to Guangshi, I didn't tell Ah Qing, I thought I would come back at night, but at night, the mountain torrent washed away the road, and I could only stay in Guangshi.I want to call Ah Qing, but the communication cable has been broken by the flood, and Guang Guang, which is located in the mountains, has become an isolated island and lost contact with the outside world.No one in the outside world knows that the flood here has destroyed countless houses, broken utility poles and mobile phone signal towers, and groups of people have been swept away by the flood.The light of night is dark.

The next afternoon, I was in a farmer's family. There were three people in that family, a middle-aged couple and a little girl aged seven or eight.We closed the doors and windows tightly and listened to the howling wind and rain between the sky and the earth. The huge overwhelming sound made people feel frightened.At dusk, I heard the sound of the courtyard wall being washed away by the flood, but no one dared to open the door to see. A hint of ominous omen passed in my heart. Then, the flood flooded into the house through the cracks in the door and windows, We quickly stood together on the table in the middle of the house, supporting each other.The flood rose inch by inch along the wall. Pots, pans, clothes, and papers floated on the yellow water. The water submerged our heels, then ankles, and then knees. The cold feeling stimulated our whole body Trembling, but more frightening is the impending doom.The little girl cried in fright, the water had already submerged to her chest.I picked up the wooden bench floating on the water, put it on the table, and stood on it with the little girl in my arms.The little girl trembled like a leaf in the wind.

However, the flood was still rising inch by inch, and the sound of the wind and rain was mixed with cries. A woman's scream cut through the thicker and darker twilight like a sharp blade, making people creepy, followed by the sound of houses collapsing. Screams came too.

Surrounded by the breath of death.

The flood has reached our chests, and we can only wait for death.The male owner of that house stepped on the stool on the table with one foot, carried the little girl down and handed it to me.Then he got on the stool and smashed the roof tiles with his fist, and the tiles and mud fell on my head and neck.An irregular light shone into the house, and raindrops rushed in one after another, accompanied by the sound of the wind.

Then he climbed the beams to the roof, stretched out his hand, and I lifted the little girl up, and he pulled her up, and then I helped the hostess stand on the stool.After the hostess climbed up, I also boarded the roof.

We stood on the roof, looked around, and saw people standing or sitting on the roof of almost every household, and even the branches were covered with people.The flood rushes past the houses, and clothes, quilts and dead pigs float on the water.There was a creaking sound at my feet. I looked down and saw that the floodwater had submerged the beams, and rats climbed up the roof one after another along the beams. On the eaves of the roof, there were actually two snakes entangled. , the two snakes reached the roof before us.The panic-stricken mice scurried back and forth by the eaves, but the two snakes turned a blind eye.At the juncture of life and death, the laws of survival in nature have also been tampered with.

A large table floated from upstream, and on the table was a thin old man, his clothes had been torn into strands, barely covering his pale and emaciated body.Then another water jar floated in, and the water jar was spinning on the water surface, with a girl's head protruding from it, and she was crying loudly.However, no one could rescue her, and no one standing on the roof or the treetops could approach the water tank. Perhaps these people's fate was not as good as hers.Then, there were two men struggling to swim in the flood. They swam to a big tree, and the people standing on the top of the tree hurriedly pulled them up.They only wore short trousers.

The night is getting darker and darker, but no one knows what to do, no one can think of a way to save themselves, death is approaching step by step, no one knows how long they can live.

I suddenly missed Ah Qing very much, Ah Qing didn't know that I was already facing the desperate situation of death.I tried to give her a call, but the cell phone towers were flooded yesterday and the phone was useless.

The flood was still rising, submerging the roof, and a desperate cry came from the darkness. The fear of people in despair is contagious. After that cry, there was a cry, desolate and helpless.

Suddenly, there was a chug-chug engine sound from downstream, and then several bright lights split the thick darkness like sharp swords.Then, there was a loudspeaker shout, is there anyone?The people in the treetops on the roof shouted together.The sound of the engine was gradually approaching, and with the help of their interlaced lights, I could see clearly that there were several assault boats, on which were the People's Liberation Army in yellow vests. They picked us up in the desperate situation one by one, and drove away from the flood. village...

It took five days for the flood to recede.I took the first bus back to Fuzhou after the traffic resumed.

Later, I found out that the newspaper office had been unable to contact me for five days. They all thought that I had "gloriously died in the line of duty."No one would have thought that I would miraculously return to Fuzhou. They were greatly surprised and withdrew the application materials.

When I got home, Ah Qing was still off work.I took a shower comfortably, and then lay on the bed, thinking about taking a rest for a while and picking up Ah Qing from get off work, but I didn't expect that I was so sleepy that I fell into a deep sleep as soon as I closed my eyes.In my sleep, I went back to the small village surrounded by the flood. The roofs were full of people, all without clothes, and crying loudly. It was a miserable scene. It was raining in the sky, raindrop by drop. A drop fell on my face...

I woke up suddenly, opened my eyes and saw Ah Qing sitting beside me, she was looking at me with tears on her face.Before I realized where I was, Ah Qing threw herself on me, crying and kissing me, she said, you're fine, you're fine, I thought you'd never come back.

I smiled and said, of course I want to come back, I am worried that you are at home alone.

Ah Qing said, the day I left Fuzhou was my birthday, she got off work early and bought a cake back home, but she couldn't wait for me.I waited until dawn and there was no sign of me.She didn't know where I went, but she called the newspaper office and found out that I had gone to northern Fujian.After that, she waited for my return every day, and braved the wind and rain to come to the newspaper office every day to inquire about my news, but she didn't.She occasionally heard rumors that I had died in the line of duty, and she was heartbroken.She thought she would never see me again.

I said forgive me forgive me.It will never be like this again, and I will greet you first when I go out in the future.Oh, it was my birthday, I forgot.

Ah Qing said with tears, if I really lost you, I would not have the courage to live.

I hugged her tightly, tears welling up.

The clock on the wall rang, and it was already two o'clock in the middle of the night.

A few days later, Ah Qing and I arrived at Fujian Normal University, where a new real estate had just been developed next to it.I want to buy a house here and give it to Ah Qing.I want to settle in Fuzhou in the future, because there is Ah Qing here.When we have children in the future, we can go to the Kindergarten of Normal University, the High School Attached to Normal University, and go to university here.

There are four types of units in that building, the largest with three bedrooms and one living room is more than 100 square meters, and the smallest is only 100 square meters.The sales lady enthusiastically introduced the characteristics of various apartment types to us, and suggested that we buy the largest apartment type. She said that the most sought-after one is the one with more than [-] square meters.

Drawings of various apartment types were pasted on the wall, and Ah Qing stood in front of the largest apartment, unable to move any longer.I know how attractive a comfortable house is to a girl, especially a girl like Ah Qing who used to own but is now homeless.

But I don't have that much money, my money is only enough to buy the smallest apartment.That one-bedroom house.

I didn't have the courage to tell Ah Qing.

Ah Qing turned around and asked, which set should we buy?

I quietly pulled her aside and bravely said, I don't have enough money, we can only afford the smallest one.

Ah Qing smiled, and she said, we are still young, we are not in a hurry to buy a house.When we have money, let's buy a big house to live in, okay?

I nodded.

Walking on the street, I took Ah Qing's hand and felt that she was the best girl in the city of Fuzhou.

Then, there was no news from Jingrong for many days.

I have been thinking about her, not knowing what is going on with her life.Such a lonely and helpless girl with huge debts and her husband is far away abroad, living in such a strange and unaccompanied city, who can share her worries.

I went to the private house she rented to look for it, and there was an iron lock hanging high on the door.I asked Lao Yimu, but I couldn’t understand a word of Lao Yimu’s standard Fuzhou dialect. I had no choice but to wait for Jingrong’s return at her house. I don’t know if she is still selling small stalls Toy.

At dusk, the two scavengers came back with beads of sweat on their faces and a strong smell of sweat from their bodies.They said that Jingrong had moved away for several days, and they didn't know where he went.There is no longer any of Jingrong's belongings in the room.

I walked out of that private house alone and walked on the cold street at night, suddenly my heart was full of melancholy and frustration.Looking at the people who are busy returning home at night, I don't know which street in Fuzhou is that very kind and pure Jing Rong, and whether she is full or hungry at the moment. Winter in Fuzhou is coming, the weather It's getting colder every day, has she bought a cotton coat?

When I got home, I called Ah Qing and asked her about Jingrong's whereabouts.Ah Qing said that Jingrong went to a village called Wucuo in Minhou half a month ago, where she was doing business.

Strange, what business does she do in the village?
Ah Qing said that Jingrong also approached her once, and Jingrong brought a lot of cosmetics with English letters printed on them for her to buy.Jing Rong said that she is now engaged in a big business and is very busy every day.Many of them live together like a big harmonious family, and everyone is like brothers and sisters.

I am more and more surprised, what kind of big business will such a girl with no social experience and no funds do?It is often said that in business, peers are enemies.And what business can make them as close as brothers and sisters?

I decided to go to the village called Wucuo in Minhou.

The next morning, I drove to Minhou, a county on the outskirts of Fuzhou.In the county seat, after several inquiries, I took a three-wheeled "jumping car" with several people who looked like farmers. There was also a man in his 30s in a suit and leather shoes. He had a dark complexion and combed his hair meticulously. There is a black mole on the back of the head and on the chin, and a bunch of black hair grows on the mole.Can't see his identity.

The "bounce car" bumped on the rugged mountain road for more than half an hour and stopped in front of a village.All the people in the car got off, and a farmer said that this village with hundreds of families is called Wucuo.

A bunch of hairs walked into the village first with their heads held high, and the farmers and I followed closely behind.They said that they are all from the village. A few days ago, hundreds of outsiders came to the village, including men and women, all young. They live in different households and attend classes in the ancestral hall in the middle of the village every day.

At the entrance of the village, there was a family with the courtyard door wide open, and I went straight in.Two young men were washing in front of the faucet. When they saw me, they immediately stood upright, clapped their hands, and shouted in unison, welcome new classmates, welcome new classmates.I was baffled and extremely amused, watching their funny and enthusiastic performance like clowns, I had no choice but to nod.Suddenly, the doors on both sides of the yard opened, and more than a dozen men and women poured out. They stood neatly in two rows, clapped their hands together, shouted together, welcome, welcome, welcome warmly.Looking at them, I thought of those teenagers and children celebrating festivals or being inspected by their superiors. The difference is that these people who have gone through the innocent age have no little red flowers in their hands, and their voices are not as crisp and melodious.

I had to go through the narrow passage where they were standing, and into a low, dark room.There was nothing in the room, straw mats and cardboards and worn bedding were scattered on the floor, and the air was filled with the smell of feet and sweat and an indescribable unpleasant smell.Several men came in, and they shook hands with me solemnly, with reserved expressions. The scene was like the "meeting across the century" of heads of state shown on TV.I endured and endured, so I didn't laugh out loud.

Welcome to our team.they said.

Until now, I'm still in the dark, I don't know what they do.I could only smile and nod politely.

Joining our team is your right choice.A middle-aged man with two deep wrinkles on his forehead said to me as if reciting a text.

Suddenly, someone on the village road shouted, class is over, class is over.They rushed out of the room together, and I followed behind them.

(End of this chapter)