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Old things in the south of the city

Old things in the south of the city

林海音

  • Novel Corner

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  • 2023-02-05Published
  • 74414

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Chapter 1 Legend of Huian Pavilion

Legend of Huian Pavilion one The sun came in through the big glass windows, shone on the big white paper wall, shone on the three-drawer table, and shone on my little bed.I woke up and was still lying on the bed, looking at the many small, small dust flying in that ray of sunlight.Mama Song came over to smash the window sill and the table, and with the dancing of the chicken feathers, the dust in the sunlight increased and the dancing became more lively. cough. Song Mama's chicken-feather hammer came to touch my little bed, and she touched all the corners and corners of the little bed, and the handle of the knife hit the bed rail, making a rattling noise. I wanted to scold her, but she spoke first. up:

Haven't had enough sleep yet!As she said that, she opened my quilt, and my whole body in fleece trousers and jacket was exposed, and I sneezed twice immediately.She forced me to get up and dress me.The cotton-padded jackets and trousers made of printed twill are all newly made. The trousers are so ridiculous that they can stand upright, and you can tell how thick the cotton is. Ma was sitting by the stove, combing her hair, leaning over, with a lot of hair running down the back of her neck, and she was grating and grating, and there was a bottle of rose-colored hair oil on the stove, and it was cold and the oil was congealed. , Always put it on the stove to melt before it can be applied.

It was very bright outside the window, and there were a few birds that were not afraid of the cold on the bare branches. I was thinking, when will the trees be full of leaves?This is our first winter in Beijing. Mom still can't speak Beijing dialect well, she is telling Song Ma what to buy today.Mom won't say buy a catty of pork, don't be too fat.She said: Buy a catty and rent it out, don't pay too much back. After my mother combed my hair, she rubbed her oily hands on my hair and braided two braids for me.I saw that Mama Song was about to go out with a basket, so I hurriedly called her:

Mama Song, I'll go shopping with you. Mama Song said: Are you not afraid of the lunatics in the Hui Nan Hall? Song's mother is from Shunyi County, and she can't speak Beijing dialect very well. She said Chenghuinanguan, mother said it was Huiwaguan, dad said it was Feianguan, and I followed the children in the alley and said Hui'anguan. One right, I don't know. Why should I be afraid of the lunatics in Hui'an Pavilion?She smiled at me yesterday!She had such a funny smile, and if Ma hadn't held my hand tightly, I would have walked over to see her and talked to her.

The Huian Pavilion is at the very front of our alley. Up three floors of stone steps, there are two large black doors recessed, with a plaque on the door. When passing by, my father taught me to read: Fei'an Guild Hall.Dad said that the people living there are all students from Fei'an, studying in college like my uncle. Also at Peking University?I asked Dad. There are many universities in Beijing, and Tsinghua University!Yenching University! Can you go to Fei'an No, Hui'an Pavilion to play with the uncles? Do it well!Do it well!I know that no matter what I ask for, my dad will always use this Hakka dialect to reject me.I think one day I will step up those three steps and walk through the dark door.

I have seen the lunatic in the Hui'an Pavilion several times, and every time she stood at the door, Mom or Song would squeeze my hand tightly and say softly: lunatic!We brushed against the wall and walked over. If I wanted to look back, they would pull my arm hard to stop me.In fact, that lunatic is not just a big girl with a big braid of Chinese pine, just like the big girl of the Zhang family and the Li family!She always stood leaning against the door wall, looking at people passing by. Yesterday, I went shopping with my mother to the Fozhao Building in Luoma City. My mother went to buy duck egg powder for face rubbing. As for me, I just like to eat the Bazhen plum there.We came back from Luomashi Street, walked through Weiran Hutong, Xicaochang, and arrived at Jingwozi in Chunshu Hutong. The alley where we lived was diagonally opposite Jingwozi.As soon as I entered the alley, I saw the lunatic in the Hui'an Pavilion. She was wearing a purple cotton-padded jacket, black velvet fur, a row of bangs on her head, and a big red velvet rope tied into her braid. Flicking the braids to the front, playing with the ends of the braids with both hands, he stared blankly at the old locust tree in the yard opposite.There were a few crows on the dry branches, and there was no one in the alley.

Mom was lowering her head and muttering, she must be calculating how much money she bought today, so that she can report the bill to her carefree father, so Mom has already reached the Huiwa Hall without noticing.I followed behind my mother, kept watching the madman, and forgot to walk.At this time, the lunatic's eyes fell from the locust tree and happened to see me. Her eyes were fixed on me, as if she was looking for something in my face.Her face was pale and blue, and the tip of her nose was a little red, probably from the cold wind. She had a pointed chin, and her two thin lips were tightly closed.Suddenly her lips moved, her eyes blinked twice, she was smiling, as if she was about to speak, and she stretched out her braided hand to me, beckoning me over.For some reason, I shivered greatly all over my body, and then, I followed her beckoning and smiling to walk towards her.But Mom turned around and pulled me suddenly:

What's the matter, you? Um?I'm a bit confused.Mom took a look at the madman and said: Why are you shivering?Are you afraid of drowning?go home quickly!My hand was tugged hard by my mother. When I got home, I was still thinking about the appearance of the lunatic.Isn't her smile funny?If I talk to her I say: Hey!What will happen to her?I thought blankly, I was too lazy to eat dinner, because I had eaten too much Bazhenmei.But after dinner, Mom said to Song Ma: Yingzi must have been frightened.Then he made me a bowl of sugar water, told me to drink it, and ordered me to sleep under the covers.

At this time, my braids were done, and I chased Mama Song to buy vegetables. She walked in front, and I followed behind.Her disgusting big black cotton trousers, so thick, so fat, and tied at the bottom.Others told Ma that old mothers in Beijing were very good at stealing things. When they stole rice, they put it into the trouser pockets along the waistband of their trousers in handfuls, so that they just fell into the tied trouser leg tubes and would not leak out.I was thinking, is there any white rice from my family in Mama Song's fat trouser legs? Passing by the Hui'an Pavilion, I looked inside. The black door was wide open, and there was a briquette stove in the doorway, and the madman's mother and father were cooking something by the stove.Everyone called the lunatic's father Changban Pharaoh, and Changban was the caretaker of the guild hall. They lived in a room facing the street.Although Mama Song doesn't allow me to watch madmen, I know she loves to watch madmen, and asks about madmen, but I'm just not allowed to listen to them.At this moment, Mama Song was also looking into the Hui'an Pavilion, just as the lunatic's mother raised her head, she and Mama Song said at the same time: Have you eaten?you!Dad said that Beijingers are free all day long and have nothing to do. Whenever they meet, they always ask if they have eaten.

A few steps to the south after exiting the alley, you will find Jingwozi. The ground is full of water, and some places have formed thin ice. One-wheeled water carts come and go one after another. The creaking sound is so harsh, I want to plug my ears!Two people in Jingwozi were fetching water from the deep well, and the water was poured into a big tank, and the people who pushed the water picked up the water in the big tank and sent it to each house.Next to the well nest lived a girl of mine who was as tall as me.At this time, I stopped beside Jingwozi and said to Mama Song: Song Ma, you go shopping, I'll wait for Niu'er.

Niuer, I first saw her in the oil and salt store.That day she held two bowls in both hands, took a big one, and bought sauce, vinegar, and green onions. The clerk teased and said, "Girl, you will only be allowed to leave after singing a verse!"Niu'er had tears in her eyes, her hands were shaking, and the vinegar was about to spill. I was so annoyed that I couldn't express it, so I rushed to Niu'er's side and asked them: Why? In this way, I met Niuer. Niu'er has only one braid, which is yellow and short, like the tail of a puppy my mother bought for me at the Earth Temple.The second time I saw Niu'er was when I was watching fetching water by the well.She came over and stood beside me silently. We both smiled at each other, not knowing what to say.After a while, I couldn't help touching her little yellow braid, she smiled at me again, pointed to the back, and said in a low voice: You live in that alley? Um.I said. Which door? I stretched out my fingers to do the math: One, two, three, four, the fourth door.Come to our house to play. She shook her head and said: There are lunatics in your alley, mom won't let me go. What are you afraid of, she doesn't eat people. She still shook her head with a smile. When Niuer smiled, there were two small swirls on the flesh on both sides of her nose under her eyes, which was very beautiful, but Song Ma actually said to the shopkeeper of the oil and salt shop: This child is handsome, but he is a little thin, his eyes are too bright, and they are always watery. Look, there are two tear holes under his eyes. I like her unspeakably in my heart, and I like her for being so gentle, unlike Song Ma who scolded me when I was in a hurry: dance again?Jump again?Small thunderstorm.That day she stood with me by the well for a while, then whispered: I'm going back, my father is waiting for me to hang my throat.See you tomorrow! I have met Niu'er by the well nest several times, as long as I see the red padded jacket and trousers flashing over there, I am full of joy, but today, I have been waiting for a long time and I have not seen her come out, I am very disappointed, my velvet There is also a small bag of Bazhen plum hidden in the pocket of the gown, which is for Niuer to eat.I felt it, and it became hot, and the wrapping paper was torn and sticky, and I had to be scolded by Mama Song when she was washing the clothes. I felt very bored, so I walked home. I originally thought that if I saw Niuer today, I would tell her a good idea. Walk through the alley to my house, so I don't need to pass through the Hui'an Pavilion, and I don't need to be afraid of seeing crazy people. I lowered my head and thought about it, and walked to the entrance of the Hui'an Pavilion. Hey! scared me!It is the madman.Biting his lower lip, he looked at me with a smile.Her eyes are bright, and when she smiles, it's like Song Ma said, there are two tear holes!I want to see her clearly, how long ago I wanted to see her clearly.I couldn't help but walked up the steps facing her eyes.The sun shone on her face, which was often pale, but today it was bright.The hand tucked inside the short padded jacket reached out to hold mine, it was so warm and soft.I looked in the alley at this time, no one passed by.It's so strange, I'm not afraid of the madman now, but I'm afraid that people will see me holding hands with the madman. How old?she asked me. Mmm six years old. six years old!She let out a cry of surprise, lowered her head, and suddenly raised my braid to look at my neck, looking for something.no.She murmured to herself, and then asked me: Have you seen our little Guizi? Xiao Guizi?I don't understand what she's talking about. At this time, the lunatic's mother came out from the gate, frowning and saying anxiously: Xiuzhen, don't scare the little girl!He turned to me again and said: Don't listen to her, it's nonsense!Let's go back!When you turn around, your mother is worried, um, do you hear me?As she spoke, she raised her hand and told me to go back. I looked up at Madman and knew her name was Xiuzhen.She took my hand, shook it lightly, and didn't let me go.Her smile increased my courage, and I said to the old man: No! Little southern savage!Xiuzhen's mother also laughed, and pointed at my forehead lightly. This must be a scolding word, just like my father often said to my mother in a contemptuous tone that they are the same as Beizai ghosts! It doesn't matter if you play here, someone is looking for you, but don't blame us girl for recruiting you. I won't say it!Why do you have to tell me so?I know what to say and what not to say.Mom had a gold bracelet and kept it in her little jewelry box, and I never told Dad. Come!Xiuzhen dragged me in, I thought I was going to play with my uncles who went to college in the deep courtyard, but it turned out that she took me into the concierge where they lived. The room is not as bright as in my house, the glass windows are very small, there is a big kang next to the window, and a low table is placed in the middle, with work and sewing boxes piled up on it.Xiuzhen picked up an unfinished dress from the table, looked left and right at me, and then happily said to her mother who came in: Mom, you see, what I said is just right!Then open the collar.As she said that, she found another rope and wrapped it around my neck to measure. I was at her mercy and just looked at the picture on the wall. The picture was a big white and fat doll without clothes, holding a big Yuan Bao, riding on a big red fish. Xiuzhen turned to me and saw that I was looking up. She also looked at the painting with my eyes, and said all the same: You have to look at the kang to see how fat our little Guizi is. He was only eight months old at that time, riding a big goldfish, going around the house, playing without eating, just like this. OK, OK!Don't be ashamed!Xiuzhen was talking happily, but I was also confused when the leader of the class, Pharaoh, came in and gave Xiuzhen an impatient look and said her.Xiuzhen ignored her father, and pushed me to take off my shoes on the kang, leaned closer to the painting, and just said: She didn't eat, she didn't wear any clothes, so she ran outside, always anxious to find her father, but I didn't listen to her no matter how many times I told her, I said wait until I made some more clothes and put them on before going!This year's undershirt is finished first, and the vest is just a matter of sewing buttons.This padded jacket will be ready as soon as the collar is opened.What is the hurry!It's really puzzling, what's the matter? She stopped talking and kept her head down thinking about the puzzling thing, all the while in a daze.I think, is she playing house with me?Didn't her mother say she was talking nonsense?If you want to play house, I have a set of gadgets, such as small watches, small abacus, and small bells, which can be used to play together.So I just say: It doesn't matter, I gave the watch to Xiao Guizi, and she will go home at a certain time when she has the watch.However, at this moment, I remembered that my mother would send Song's mother to find me, so I said again: I have to go home too. When Xiuzhen heard I said I was going to leave, she stopped being in a daze. She followed me off the kang and said, "That's kind, thank you in advance!"Seeing that Xiaoguizi called her back, it was cold outside, so she said I don't scold her, don't be afraid. I nodded and promised her that there really seemed to be such a little Guizi that I knew. As I walked, I thought, it's really interesting to play with Xiuzhen like this; pretend to have a little Guizi, and even make clothes for Xiao Guizi.Why do people not allow their children to play with Xiuzhen?Still call her crazy?I thought about it and turned around to look, it turned out that Xiuzhen was still leaning against the wall looking at me!When I was happy, I ran and jumped home. Song Ma was exchanging matches with an old woman, and there were wastebaskets, old leather shoes, and empty bottles piled up under the eaves. When I entered the house, I went to find the watch in the cabinet in front of the crib.A small round gold watch, inlaid with a few bright diamonds. The needles on it can no longer move. My mother said that it needs to be repaired, but it has been left on. I like this watch very much. I often wear it on my hand. It's mine.I was standing in front of the three-drawer table and playing around, when I suddenly heard Mama Song talking to the old woman outside the window, I listened carefully, Mama Song said: and after? Later, the old woman who changed the matches said: "The student hasn't come back since he went there!"Before leaving, he made a promise that he would go back to his hometown to sell the fields, and he would come back in a month and Ming Mei was marrying her.Well!This wait is six years!What a handsome girl, I look at her crazy. What are you talking about?Also had a baby? yes!When the student left, the girl's mother didn't know that the girl was born, and waited until she showed up, then rushed back to Haidian Yidi to give birth. Righteous place? It is their Hui'an Yidi, and Hui'an people are buried in their Hui'an Yidi when they die in Beijing.It turned out that the Wang family was showing the grave to Yidi, and the grandfather who beat the girl did so, and later let the girl's father come here to work as the head shift, who knew that such a thing would happen. Their family has a predestined relationship with Huinan, how far is Huinan from us?Why didn't you come back? It's far away! What about the unborn child? My child, as soon as I landed, wrap the parcel and send it to the base of Qihuamen City before dawn!Anyway, it was either eaten by wild dogs, or picked up by others! Is the girl crazy here? But no, it would be crazy to hit here!Poor her parents, she gave birth to such a girl in this life, alas! The two of them were silent at this point, and I had already stood at the door of the house to listen.Song's mother was counting several packs of Danfeng red-headed matches, and the old woman stuffed the tattered paper into her big basket!There was clear snot in the nose.Mama Song said: Bring some shavings next time.Then you and the lunatics are from the same place? My dear!The third sister in my aunt's natal second uncle's house is considered a lunatic and her second mother is still looking at the grave. Is there anything wrong with what they said? Mama Song saw me and said: Listen again, you. I know who you are talking about.I said. who? Xiao Guizi's mother. Xiao Guizi's mother?Song Ma laughed, are you crazy too?Where did Xiaoguizi's mother come from? I also laughed, I know who is Xiao Guizi's mother!
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