Chapter 4 Chapter 2 Wuhan 2

Xin Mei saw that there were two bunches of green vegetables neatly tied with straw ropes in the basket, fresh and green, without a single dead or yellow leaf.She asked Yanan: Did you go to the free market again? how do you know? Xin Mei pointed at the vegetables.How can there be such a dish in a public vegetable market! Yanan smiled a little guilty.Your eyes are sharp!The queue at the public house was very long, and I got impatient, so I went to the free market and ended up buying green vegetables.Mother Hao sent winter melon, which was so beautiful that it happened to be short of soup. Everyone in the room was still asleep, and the two entered the kitchen lightly.The fish didn't look small, weighing at least three catties, and looked like blue and white. Neither of them could make a name for themselves.

You are not bad, I met a member of the fish farm, Xin Mei said enviously, eating fish is so convenient! Think so beautifully!It is said that the fish in the commune is purchased and sold by the state, and it is difficult for the members of the commune to buy it themselves.I have known the Hao family for more than three months, and this is the first fish.I don't know what excuse he found to get it. Xin Mei asked how she came to deal with members.I have lived in Nanjing for several years, but I have no chance to make friends with farmers in the suburbs. What a long story!As soon as Yanan opened his mouth, his face turned pale.I got to know Mother Hao first, and it was also because I was looking for something to eat.

It turned out that Yanan saw that the child wanted to eat meat.I was so greedy that I asked Mr. Huang about the free market, and one day I really rode my bicycle to find it.Because the road was unfamiliar and the market was not found, I ran into Hao's mother selling eggs to her on the road, saying that she didn't need money, but only exchanged for food stamps. Yanan was very surprised at the time. Did farmers lack food for farming?After chatting with her for a while, I found out that what they distribute is food every year, and there are no food stamps.Her children are old enough to eat, so there is no food left at home, and the pigs and chickens need to be fed, so they have to have food coupons to buy coarse grains.Yanan happened to have twenty catties of food stamps on him, so he gave them to her together.Hao's mother was very happy, and she insisted on sending eggs, but Yanan didn't accept them. Who knew that she wrote down the dormitory number, and asked her husband to bring a basket of eggs the next day, and that's how we met.

If the Hao family were poor and lower-middle peasants, Xin Mei suddenly joked that you should be learning from the poor and lower-middle peasants when you associate with them, and receive real class education Don't wear a tall hat!Yanan interrupted her words coquettishly.I never asked them whether they were poor peasants or rich peasants.Even if I am a landlord, I don't feel ashamed.Think about it, you have worked so hard to raise chickens, but you are reluctant to eat eggs, and you want to give them away in exchange for food stamps. What's wrong with such a landlord? Don't worry, Xin Mei patted her shoulder to comfort her.After the founding of the People's Republic of China more than 20 years ago, the landlords will almost lose their teeth even if they are not dead!Classification now refers to family origin.In my opinion, if Lao Hao's family dares to associate with you, their family background must not be bad.

Yanan folded his hands and shrunk his shoulders, making a look of fear, his eyeballs under the glasses bulging. terrible!When people communicate with each other, they must first think about the origin and status of the other party. Isn't this a socialist snobbery! At this time, Fangzheng appeared at the kitchen door with sleepy eyes. I heard the two of you chattering here early in the morning, what do you have for breakfast? Yanan glanced sideways at the vegetable basket and said, "I bought a catty of eggs, let's eat fried poached eggs."There are plenty of biscuits, and a little almond cream for the children to drink.If you want something delicious, wait until noon, there will be fresh fish and fresh meat!

Ya ho ho! When Fangzheng heard that there was fish, he cried out with joy.He turned around and whistled, urging everyone to get up. stand up!stand up!After breakfast, let's go swimming in China Normal University, and come back to eat a delicious meal at Xinliulou! The highest temperature was around 39 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days, making it extremely hot.Yuanyuan and Mavericks yelled to go to soak in water every day, the adults were too busy talking about the old days, and had no time to take them there, making Maverick jumping in a hurry.Tao Lian has never been in the water because his mother can't swim and his father is often not at home, so no one taught him.After Fang Zheng's brothers and sisters found out, they rushed to teach him. They blew up the plastic life buoy early and rubbed their lips against Fang Zheng every day.Being a father couldn't make it through, and today I made up my mind to take everyone to swim.

After eating breakfast, Yanan found out a pair of swimming trunks for Tao Lian, red, white and blue, very bright.Tao Lian looked at it, shook his head and said, "This is for a girl, I don't want it!"After parents coaxed him for a long time, he reluctantly changed into it.So Fangzheng and Xinsheng set off with their three children. Amei, don't you think Chinese children mature more precociously?Yanan went on to share her observations and comparisons with the children: Tao Lian is psychologically a year ahead of Mavericks, and already understands gender and shame.You see, the calf strips off every day and takes a bath naked in the yard, acting like no one else, Tao Lian refuses.

I like the innocence of Mavericks, which is a child's characteristic and the cutest thing about a child. Who knows how long he can be innocent!Alas, you can't talk about children, it's discouraging. Xin Mei thoughtfully turned the topic to the two catties of pork in front of her: how to eat the meat? Braised pork?Shredded pork with pickled vegetables?Yanan used his brain to think about the recipe.Half a catty of meat is used for winter melon stew, so it’s best to cook the rest in one pot, and don’t spread it, otherwise it will be unpleasant to eat. The fish is braised in soy sauce, and the meat is boiled in plain water to make plain pork, okay?Xin Mei suggested.Taiwanese people eat poached meat dipped in soy sauce, which is the most authentic.

Yanan shook his head in denial.She said ambitiously: "It's too simple to cut meat for nothing. If you eat meat once a month, you have to be a famous person!" Xin Mei had no choice but to give up.She is not good at cooking, even if she makes famous dishes, she can't cook them herself.In terms of food, she has always considered herself a country bumpkin.Over the years, I have tasted some Huayang flavors, but the one I can't forget is the boiled chicken dipped in snail soy sauce that I eat in my hometown. It tastes the most delicious.After returning to China, I have eaten in cafeterias for several years. I know a lot of dishes, but I know how to cook none of them.

Have!Yanan suddenly called out.You brought a bag of bamboo shoots from Guilin, but you can’t eat bamboo shoots, and the roasted pork with bamboo shoots is also delicious! Once the decision was made, the two of them got to work, scraped the scales of the fish, cleaned them together with the vegetables, and then moved them from the kitchen to the big tree in the yard and tidied them up on the dining table. Amei, do you remember the Boy Scout Camp at Beiyi Girls High School?Yanan suddenly brought up the past more than ten years ago. Why don't you remember?When I transferred from the south, I saw students pitching tents on the playground and cooking next to the air-raid shelter. I thought it was funny at the time.Why are middle school students in Taipei camping at home!It was only later that I realized that the school was afraid of trouble, and only allowed the boy scouts to camp in the yard, and they were not allowed to step outside the school gate!

Look at my life now, does it look like a girl scout camping in Beibei? Hearing this metaphor, Xin Mei couldn't help raising her brows and smiling: It's really similar, but being close to nature, it's just rejuvenating! Not only did Yanan not find it funny, but he even sighed. My daily life revolves around three meals a day, especially since the holidays, it seems that I live only to fill my stomach, which is really boring!The purpose of the revolution is to improve the standard of living, but now it is said that lowering the standard of living is a manifestation of the revolution!Women can't get rid of housework. I think that if Chinese women want to be truly liberated, they must at least greatly reduce the time spent on washing and cooking. I wish there was such a day!Xin Mei felt the same way.Nursery schools are very common now, women can come out to work, and their status has been greatly improved compared to before.However, the burden of working women is really heavy, and it's really miserable for couples not to be together!A sick child or an evening meeting is a headache.When I didn't give birth to Xiaoye, I naturally had no excuse to ask for help. At that time, I hated meeting at night most, and I was afraid that I would leave Tao Lian at home alone.Once, I complained in the group and suggested that lesbians should be exempted from the task of meeting at night, but was criticized by an activist named Wang Degui.He satirized me for putting too much emphasis on the warmth of a small family, what the hell!In the period of peaceful nation-building, what does a small family want without warmth? Not only women should not go to meetings at night, but men too!Yanan spoke even more confidently.Apart from working eight hours a day, the rest of the time should be personal.cannot be violated without reason.It is really against the law to hold smelly and long meetings at every turn! When she mentioned breaking the law, she not only lowered her voice, but also glanced back at the neighboring house.Fortunately, no one else came out to cook, and their dining table was moved to the northeast corner, far away from the house, so it was safe to talk.The two chatted like this, while cooking and cooking, unknowingly passed the morning time. When the swimmers came back, there were four dishes and one soup on the table.The two women worked hard all morning, so they thought there would be some food left over for dinner.Unexpectedly, they were hungry, and they buried their heads in eating, like a strong wind sweeping fallen leaves, and they swept away the food.The braised fish that Yanan is good at only has a skeleton left, and even the head of the fish has been gnawed into a pile of broken bones by Tao Xinsheng. The fish is so delicious!Yuanyuan told her mother.Can I buy some fish tomorrow? Oh, oh, Yanan replied vaguely. Good meat!Mavericks uniquely said: It is good to eat meat every day! It is delicious!Even his father was full of praise.I haven't tasted this roast pork with bamboo shoots for more than ten years, and I almost swallowed my tongue!Next time you have meat, you can cook it like this! There is no hope for this month, Yanan said sorry, next time we have to wait until September. This remark was a bit disturbing, but fortunately, everyone was full and didn't feel that there was anything lacking for a while, so they just laughed it off. The three children were exhausted from playing in the water, and after devouring their lunch for a while, they suddenly became honest.Maverick was belching his stomach with his hands; his sister looked at him, but her eyes were heavy and she couldn't laugh.It was Tao Lian's first time swimming, and he probably exhausted all his breastfeeding strength, so he couldn't move while leaning on the dining table.Yanan told them to take a nap, and the three obediently went into the house. Everyone was taking a nap at this time, and the dormitory area was as silent as late at night.The birds in the woods also seemed to respect the habit of taking a lunch break, and followed in silence.Although the sun was very hot, I had to be alone and scorched the uncovered muddy ground. The ground was covered with white flowers, emitting waves of heat waves.Under the shade of the tree, the adults were lazily leaning back on the chair, not wanting to move, but Fangzheng was leisurely shaking a fan by himself. The Chinese people's nap habit is really deep-rooted!He fanned and suddenly sighed.If Confucius was still alive, he would have to criticize himself and apologize to his students!The Communist Party has carried forward napping, not only as a way of life, but also as an art of living. Have you been assimilated?the freshman asked him. Almost there.When I first returned to China, I was really not used to it. I didn’t know what to do for the two hours at noon. Seeing that everyone else was sleeping, I was a little at a loss.Now more and more discover the wonderful use of afternoon nap.It doesn't matter if you eat less meat, but if you take more naps in the afternoon, you can also prolong your life. Speaking of naps, Yanan confessed frankly: I haven't taken a nap in more than ten years, and now I can definitely fall asleep as long as I lie down.The horn was not going on in class, and I couldn't wake up at all. She, Fangzheng raised his fan, pointed at Yanan and laughed.It has become a sleepy bug!She did not miss the mobilization meeting to criticize Lin Biao! Not unusual!Xin Mei said defensively: There are so many meetings, which one will not doze off?Especially when the whole school holds a general meeting, one leader and another give a report, which is very similar and takes a long time.Many people take advantage of this method to practice internal strength, even if they remain motionless on the outside and their eyes are still open, but their brains are in a dormant state, it is said that they can also achieve the effect of rejuvenating the mind.I can't learn this skill, and I can't stop nodding when I doze off. Ha, it can be seen that people share the same heart!As Fangzheng said, he proudly tapped his fan on the dining table.Chinese teachers also have many such people.I didn't practice this internal strength, so I had to use my brain power.Before the meeting, I put a problem in my pocket, and when I calculate it, the people next to me may think that I am listening carefully and taking notes diligently!Those who are brave enough to go to the bathroom during the rest time are gone forever.Once, I also wanted to sneak away and ran to find Yanan, but she shook her head sleepily and said, "I won't go back, I won't go back, I slept well here!" Hearing this, not only the new couple, but even Yanan himself giggled. If you want to sleep, go to sleep, don't play tricks here, and expose my faults! Xin Mei also went along with the flow and said: You are tired from swimming, so you can skip the task of washing dishes and go to sleep. Sure enough, Fangzheng lost his fan, got up and patted Xinsheng on the shoulder and said, "Let's go, let's go, they don't want us to wash the dishes." After they entered the house, the two women also struggled to get up, cleared the table, sent the tableware to the kitchen, made a pot of tea, and then sat back under the tree to take a breather.In the yard, the clothes that the neighbors hang out in the morning are all dry.Xin Mei thought of a pile of unwashed clothes soaking in the tub, so she suggested to do the laundry, but Yanan just waved her hands. Let's wash at night, I'm tired all morning, let's take a rest.And there is not much water in the tank, so I still keep it for dinner. So, the two of them moved the chairs to the north, leaning as far as possible into the woods, where it was cooler.When I sat down, I put my feet up on another chair, drank tea and chatted comfortably, and patted the fan one after another to resist the heat waves that came. Just now Fangzheng said that he is good at using brain skills, which reminded Xinmei of his research work. Fangzheng has always been more enthusiastic about research than teaching. Fangzheng is still doing topology, right?What is Master Hua planning for him now? Master Hua treated him very well, and Yanan said that he was very grateful.They didn't understand this stuff, so they asked him to study it by himself, and if he had any results, he would just hand them over to them.Anyway, there is no shortage of mathematics teachers in the school, and there is no class for him in the next school year.At the end of last semester, the department wanted to know what he was up to, arranged a seminar, and asked him to give a lecture.He had greatly simplified it, but the math teacher couldn't understand it, and there wasn't even a single questioner after the meeting.You didn't hear the way he sighed and sighed when he came back, as if he was mourning his concubine! Xin Mei could fully imagine Fang Zheng's discouraged mood, so she felt even more that he was wasting talents in China Normal University.She believed that the only way to save her was to leave China Normal University and transfer to Wuhan University or Academy of Sciences.Yanan was very skeptical, thinking that it would not help. That is to change the soup without changing the medicine. She said that the general direction is not to use theoretical mathematics. Theoretical mathematics cannot be lost, and some people are doing it secretly, and Chen Jingrun is one of them.It is said that he proved that one plus one is not equal to two, and many people could not refute it.Two years ago, Yao Wenyuan wanted to win him over, and he summoned him a few times, but he thought Yao Wenyuan was an upstart and didn't want to climb high!Later I heard that someone was kidnapped in the middle of the night, so we met. Yanan pursed his lips with a look of contempt. Is such a summons a thirst for talents, or is it to make political capital for yourself?I'm afraid the latter are mostly. No matter what kind of motivation it is, at least it shows that it is too extreme, and it will start to come back in the future.Theoretical mathematics must have a future. In order to cheer up Yanan, Xin Mei told Yanan the news she heard on the boat.It is said that Beijing is very busy this summer, and it takes a lot of effort just to organize the audience to attend the lectures of mathematics masters.Chen Shiingshen, Lin Jiaqiao and a group of scholars were invited to visit China this summer. The central government arranged in advance that whenever scholars want to give speeches to middle school students, college students will be organized to listen to them. Preparations are in full swing.In contrast, the teachers of China Normal University don't understand if they don't understand it, at least they don't cheat. The current kind of education actually does not require mathematics! Yanan criticized honestly and bluntly. She had been a tutor for three months and became more and more disgusted with the so-called education reform. How is the quality of the students you tutor?Xin Mei actually asked the question knowingly. Surprisingly bad!There is a student who does not even have an elementary school level, and he has to make up for him from addition and subtraction and single-digit multiplication. I especially sympathize with him.The poor grades can't be blamed on him at all. He himself said that he was sent to study in college, and he never dreamed of becoming a math teacher!The country must cultivate him. In fact, he should be sent to the first year of junior high school, all the way to university.If not, set up a Department of Mao Zedong Thought, and send him to study there, because he has always held high the great red banner of Mao Zedong Thought.I heard that the selection of college students also passed the test, but I don't know how to pass the test! The test is a real test, but it is secondary and secondary, and the recommendation is the main thing. Xin Mei explained to her the current selection method for college students. In principle, individuals are free to apply in grassroots units in factories and rural areas. It is important to uphold Mao Zedong Thought.After signing up, let the masses select first, then the leaders will delineate, and then report.The upper-level leaders made another round of selection, and reported it layer by layer. Finally, the admissions staff gave them oral and written tests for those who were named on the gold list. In fact, the admissions officers don't have much choice, they have to enroll the established places in the ones sent for the exam.Each unit often sends a few more candidates to take the exam; sometimes it sends just the right number of places, so it must be accepted. I have a colleague named Situ Qing, who is also your colleague, and he went out to recruit students last year.Once, I privately blamed him for his poor work and why he recruited many students with ridiculously low education levels.He also had difficulties, so he revealed a little inside story to me.For example, there was a commune that happened to allocate a quota for a college student, and only sent one educated youth to take the exam.This educated youth examination was tantamount to handing in a blank paper, so Situ Qing unceremoniously returned him and asked the commune to send two more students to take the examination.The commune actually said in an official tone: Only this one is qualified, so it's up to you!What can he do?Had to admit.After inquiring, it turned out that the youngest son of the director of the county revolutionary committee, no wonder this is the only one, there is no other branch! Yanan frowned at first, then frowned into a big pimple, and then he clenched his fists and started beating on the dining table. It is absurd enough to select college students to highlight politics, and it is even more unreasonable to open the back door to go inside!Moreover, it is stipulated that students are not allowed to repeat grades, and at least they are recommended to graduate. If this kind of education revolution is carried out, it will be strange if the life of education is not abolished someday! Seeing her resentment and cautiousness, Xin Mei was afraid that she would be pessimistic, so she quickly comforted her and said: Fortunately, this kind of unhealthy trend is not uniform, and most of them come in through the Yangguan road.The average quality of students is low, but there are also high-level students. The problem is that they are uneven. Xin Mei has taught ninety students, and two of them are very good at English.Lin Weidong from Shanghai has very good grades. His reading and writing skills are no less than those of the first-year top students in the Foreign Languages ​​Department of National Taiwan University.At first, these two students, like everyone else, started with the ABC alphabet and then read the Wan Guo Phonetic Alphabet.Seeing them wasting time like this, Xin Mei felt very sad.One day, she was ruthless and let them go to class with her class, and she tutored them with English textbooks before the Cultural Revolution for one hour a week.The two students were very happy and studied very hard, and asked Xin Mei to give them composition questions.In this way, Xin Mei was not only busy finding textbooks for the two of them, but also was busy revising their compositions, but she was very happy.She asked her students to learn English from small cooking stoves, but the department did not officially approve it, but the Liang branch committee was very considerate of her painstaking efforts, and kept pretending to be deaf and dumb. When she introduced Lin Weidong to Yanan, she brought up another initiative, which was to fight for the exemption of English for two students.Every time she thinks that she can save two students from the torture-like English class, she is very proud. Strange, being a teacher is also Lao Wang selling melons, selling melons and boasting!Yanan said, it is you who take the lead in exempting students from English!We Chinese teachers have never heard that English is exempted. It is best to be a teacher after graduating from China Normal University.The School of Water Conservancy is different. When I go to a construction site in the future, I will forget all my English if I don’t use it.The reason why I exempted them from English class is that I really can't teach them, and I feel guilty for wasting their precious time.When the school starts in September, I plan to exempt five more students from their English classes. When talking about exempted English, Xin Mei thought of Xiao Wanlai, a student who had been teaching for two and a half months.Xiao Wan is not young. He was recommended by the Wuhan Port Authority. He has ten years of party experience and fifteen years of service. He has worked as a dock worker, warehouse manager, and security guard. He has been married for five years. the father of the child.When freshmen first entered school, teachers went to their dormitories to welcome and condolences.When the political counselor introduced Xiao Wan, Xin Mei was deeply impressed.He is only thirty years old, but his temples have gray hair, his expression is sluggish, and he looks older than him.Xiao Wan also went to college after several mobilizations, biting the bullet and provoking the tasks entrusted to him by the party.There is nothing to say about hard work, but it is a pity that my foundation is too weak, and I have no time to do math all day long, and I have no time to take care of English.It took me a month to figure out the capital and small letters of the twenty-six English letters. I couldn't pass the pronunciation stage, and I couldn't do anything when I read the text.The first lesson is the four lists of Long live Chairman Mao. Perhaps out of class feelings, I finally learned to spell.But in the second lesson, Long Live Mao Zedong Thought, he couldn't understand the word ideology. He either pronounced it as "fought" or "sought", and his tongue would never mess with his front teeth. One day, Xin Mei came to class early and saw him studying hard in the classroom alone.Taking the opportunity to correct his pronunciation, ask him how he is doing.Only then did he realize that he had lost ten kilograms since the beginning of school and suffered from insomnia. He was worried that if he did not study well, he would disappoint Chairman Mao's kindness in sending him to college.Seeing his haggard face and gray hair on his temples, Xin Mei felt very sympathetic and made up her mind to exempt him from studying English.Now Xiao Wan feels relieved, and whenever he meets Xin Mei, he always nods and smiles, showing gratitude. Yanan originally held a cup of tea to drink, but because he listened intently to Xinmei talking about her students, the cup of tea was hanging in the air.Xin Mei's mouth was so dry that she had to get up and pour a full cup of tea, and drank it while standing up.When she sat down, Yanan simply gave up the plan to drink tea, put down the cup, and first asked the question that was lingering in his mind. Amei, have you ever thought about how your students and my students would have achieved if they didn't come to the university? Xin Mei replied without hesitation: They stayed in the original unit to work, they are familiar with the job, and they serve the people in the same way, and they serve the people even better!Where did the slogan of education reform come from, and where did it go back.After my student graduates in the future, if he returns to Wuhan to do security work, it will be a waste. If he is asked to engage in water conservancy, judging by his grades in school, I suspect that he will do better than the original political security work. Not talking about science, not talking about efficiency, this is holding high the great red banner of Mao Zedong Thought! Sarcasm and criticism seemed unable to express the resentment in Yanan's heart, so she hit the table with her fist again.After knocking a few times, she suddenly calmed down and asked Xin Mei very seriously: What is the real meaning of calling Mao Zedong Thought every day? Serve the people!Xin Mei slipped out without thinking. Yanan shook his head in denial.I see the people as a means, not an end.If democracy and freedom are not given, what content does the people have?Just fools. The policy of ignoring the people has been inseparable from the ruling regime since ancient times. Xin Mei admits that the West also has it. This is an objective historical existence. We are number one in China!You see, after the Lin Biao incident, Lin Biao was first criticized as ultra-leftist.When everyone criticizes the left, the central government immediately corrects that he is the extreme right.Contradictory, but you want the common people to swallow it alive, don't you think that the common people also grow brains?Mao Zedong Thought, I have been thinking about it for the past few days, and there is only one sentence: Chairman Mao has the final say! When it comes to Mao Zedong's domineering, Xin Mei really has no words to refute.Any word he said is the highest instruction, even if the meaning is vague or even contradictory, it should be implemented as an imperial decree, and no one would dare to refute it.The party constitution has become the law of the family, and the quotations are regarded as legal provisions. These are all facts.The strange thing is that I have never dared to criticize.She stared at Yanan blankly, feeling ashamed and admiring. Everyone says that the constitution was passed after three ups and downs, but what's the use of lying?There are a lot of basic human rights of speech, publication, person, and residence, but which one is guaranteed? Although Yanan spoke in a low voice, his words were sonorous and forceful, like waves at high tide, hitting Xin Mei's eardrums one after another.The sun moved slowly, the heat was sluggish, and the surrounding scenery was still imprisoned in a drowsy nap.In this suffocating silence, Yanan's protest was like a raging wave, shaking her. Despotism, dictatorship, and lies!Xin Mei chewed carefully, feeling that these words seemed familiar.Apart from what was mentioned in the minutes of the May 71 Project, and Mao Zedong was compared to a B︱52 bomber, who ever criticized his feudal and dictatorial style?She squinted her eyes and thought about it, and believed that no one had ever said it, but everyone shared the same heart, and once someone said it, she couldn't help feeling sorry for her.She admired Yanan's sensitivity, but it was clear from outsiders.I have lived in a high-pressure and closed environment for many years, and my mind is paralyzed, which has virtually reduced my ability to judge and lost my fighting spirit. I think Chairman Mao has an abnormal mentality, Yanan boldly assumed.He himself is an intellectual, but he blindly belittles intellectuals.To belittle intellectuals is to underestimate the value of knowledge, so what about scientific culture?What he is doing now is purely looking down on the university He said that a university of science and engineering still needs to be established.Xin Mei can already recite this quotation fluently. So why not do liberal arts?Is there such a short-sighted person in the world?After his revolution in education, the level of universities has been reduced to an unprecedented level. Some people in Wuhan University have compared it to the level of the Turpan Basin! When it comes to the educational revolution, Xin Mei, like all teachers, is full of complaints.The traditional education system has shortcomings, and no one is against reform, but Mao Zedong's almost naive and hasty approach is not convincing.He believes that manual labor is the foundation of reforming thinking and everything, so in accordance with his May 7th instructions, universities across the country set up farms, and as a result, a large number of teachers were trapped in the farms.University farms have been done with great fanfare for a while in the 1950s, and it has long been proven that it will not work.However, Mao Zedong gently pushed that failure on Liu Shaoqi, and everything started again, and it got worse.He sent Chi Qun of the 8341 Unit of the Zhongnanhai Guard Regiment to stay at Tsinghua University, and issued orders to the whole country based on his report.Tsinghua's farm office is located on the banks of Poyang Lake in Jiangxi. In less than a year, it published a summary of its experience in food self-sufficiency, and promoted it everywhere through publicity agencies.As a result, other colleges and universities have suffered miserably. The School of Water Conservancy where Xin Mei works has a staff of 1,000. If the students are included, at least 1,000 mu of land must be cultivated in order to be self-sufficient.Every inch of land in the south of the Yangtze River is precious, and this thousand acres can only be found from the saline-alkali land that farmers don't want. The lack of irrigation water is completely dependent on the sky.The farm of Shuiyuan is far away in the north of Jiangsu Province, and it is beyond reach. Only less than 500 acres of 1,000 acres are planted, and only 300 acres are harvested.Once, Xinmei went to the farm to support the autumn harvest and was sent to harvest soybeans.She couldn't find the soybean field, but saw overgrown weeds, and she had to push the grass to find the pods.Not only did the school fail to be self-sufficient in food, but it also lost 20,000 to 30,000 yuan a year. I don't believe that Tsinghua's teachers and students are really self-sufficient in food.Yanan just sneered. Of course it's a rumor!People say that Chi Qun blindly exaggerated in order to claim credit, just like the Great Leap era, just adding zero to the output.Chi Qun still has the model experience of engaging in class struggle. The so-called experience of the six factories and two schools must be followed by the whole country.How many people secretly hated him to the bone! Look, Yanan cursed bitterly, when Chairman Mao died, someone would always take care of him! What is hateful is the present. Xin Mei regretfully pointed out that the shore of Poyang Lake where the Tsinghua Farm is located is rampant with schistosomiasis.Taking advantage of last autumn's enrollment and class, Tsinghua quietly gave up the farm and brought all the faculty and staff back to Beijing.The foreign school didn't know what tricks it was going to play next, so they had to wait and see. Other schools just follow suit, so what are you afraid of?I heard that there are only a few people left on our Huashi's farm, which exists in name only. There is no clear order from the central government!It seems that Chairman Mao himself was indecisive and very contradictory.Now, the farm has become a section of the cecum of the school, which does not get ulcerated and does not dare to cut it off with a knife. commit a sin!commit a sin!Yanan groaned in a low voice.After taking a sip of tea, she suddenly asked Xin Mei: That night, Lao Tao said that his experience was that he could do whatever the party told him to do, and he should not think too much about it.Do you have the same attitude? Xin Mei lowered her eyebrows, thought for a while, and finally nodded and said, "Basically, that's the case." I didn't expect you to come back with enthusiasm, and now you are all answerers!Yanan sarcastically. It's double-faced, Xin Mei corrects her.This is the state of mind of intellectuals in China. On the surface, they surrender, but they are not convinced in their hearts.For example, Jiang Qing vigorously promoted model operas last year, and the central government ordered them to be sung vigorously everywhere.Although I am unconvinced, what can I do?I had to go to the stage to sing. What?You sing? Yanan cried out, and jumped up from his seat like a human being. Xin Mei couldn't help giggling in a low voice.Contrary to Yanan, she has no voice and doesn't know anything about music. Any song will be out of tune in her mouth, and she has always been ashamed to sing and hum the tune.Yanan heard that she would also perform on stage one day, and probably remembered that she had set a record in the make-up music exam in a girls' middle school, so he was so surprised. God, Xin Mei sings Beijing opera!What about the song you sang?Come on, come on, let's hear it! Yanan suppressed a smile, sat down again, and grabbed a fan to fan him up.She leaned forward, pretending to be listening. Look at what roles I can play with this piece of material!Xin Mei said, giggling again.People saw that I was short and fat, so they sent me to sing about Grandma Sha in Shajiabang.The colleague who taught me the play was really hard. He copied out all the staves and drew bean sprouts on a blackboard.I couldn't recognize the staff for a long time, and I was afraid of being laughed at, so I had to memorize the accents taught to sing by rote. Not to mention Beijing opera, Yanan interrupted suddenly, it is Taiwanese Gezai opera, I don’t remember you humming! that is!Before coming to the mainland, I had never seen a Beijing opera, let alone sing a word! In order to promote her eight model plays, Jiang Qing monopolized the stage and mass media, and in 1971 she even ordered that it be well-known and catchy by everyone.Nanjing has been going on for a whole summer, and Xin Mei and the whole school staff have been involved in the wave.During work hours, everyone came to practice singing, regularly held concerts, and conducted evaluations among departments, and even the office of the Revolutionary Committee of the Academy could not escape.The chief of staff is said to have no talent for singing, so he will go on stage to hide behind others and move his mouth to make a show. Afraid of making a fool of herself, Xin Mei practiced hard day and night for several weeks. She sang at work and yelled when she got home from work, making an old woman laugh her stomach up and call her ancestors.When he came to the stage, he only sang a couple of lines about a military-civilian fish-water relationship, which made the audience roar with laughter.She blushed with shame, and couldn't slip away on the spot, so she had to continue singing mechanically.After singing, even the people on the stage laughed.There was thunderous applause when she stepped off the stage, probably because she was full of laughter, and applauded her courage. Strange to say, after this forced indoctrination, I started humming model operas.It's not that I fell in love with Beijing opera, but I couldn't help humming a few passages I sang. So easy to get into people's hearts?Yanan expressed his doubts.I've been back for a few months and haven't been to a show yet.Once I heard someone talking about the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and only after I asked about it did I realize that it was referring to the outwitting of Huwei Mountain and the seaport.Did you watch it all? Everything else is banned, only model plays stand out, you have to watch it if you don’t watch it!Outsmarting Huwei Mountain is not bad, suitable for all ages.Tao Lian also learned to sing a few verses in the kindergarten, and he was also hunting tigers up the mountain in his dreams.The harbor is really bad. I closed my eyes and rested after watching half of it.The protagonist Fang Haizhen is full of party spirit, only missing women, and has no sense of reality. It's strange, Jiang Qing himself was born in acting when he was young, why didn't he have artistic accomplishment Hush!Xin Mei quickly pressed her lips with her index finger to warn her.Apart from Chairman Mao, this is the only one who can't be criticized. She is most afraid of people mentioning her background and past events. Why, Chairman Mao dared to marry her, what's so shameful? Can't mention it!Xin Mei shook her hand vigorously.A Red Guard in our School of Water Conservancy just copied a large-character poster and posted it back to Nanjing, satirizing Jiang Qing's early life and making reference to La Traviata. Good guy!Yanan's eyes stared as if they were about to pop out of his glasses.If she becomes the successor, I don't know how many heads will fall to the ground! When Xin Mei heard about the successor, she couldn't help shaking her head and sighing. There is such a saying.If the legend is credible, then Lu Hou and Wu Zetian will have to re-evaluate, and they will make a big effort to reverse the verdict in the future! If Jiang Qing became the successor, Yanan said categorically that Mao Zedong would no longer be an idea! After Yanan finished speaking, he shook the fan in his hand vigorously, wishing to blow away the anger all at once. She is really unpopular.Xin Mei followed suit and shook her head.She criticized Wang Guangmei's fancy dress and wanted everyone to be simple and plain, but she wore a foreign dress and chatted happily with Nixon.800 million people watched her model plays, but she spent foreign exchange to import Hollywood movies from abroad to watch, and she heard that she would copy the ones she liked and carry them with her.Coincidentally, it was exposed during the Cultural Revolution that many high-ranking cadres enjoyed this kind of privilege. For example, Liu Shaoqi was infatuated with Yi Shuhui Liansi, and he admitted that he had watched it six times! Yanan was amazed!I lost my fan, and was about to comment again, when I saw someone coming over, I quickly got up to say hello. Miss Huang, did you take a nap?Sit in the shade, it's cool here. Xin Mei turned sideways, and saw a middle-aged woman walking towards them with a smile, her steps were as light as a cat's, and she didn't hear a sound beforehand.She guessed that this was the colleague who had hepatitis.Teacher Huang's complexion was sallow, as if he hadn't been exposed to sunlight for a long time and lacked blood.She was also like everyone else, wearing a white shirt and black silk trousers, although she was not so skinny, nor did she have the plumpness that middle-aged women usually have.The smile reveals a sincere and modest expression, and the whole person looks gentle, and he is a teacher at a glance. Xin Mei also stood up to greet her, and introduced herself: I am Xin Mei, please call me Xiao Xin.幸會了，黃老師，常聽到亞男說起你。 不敢當，叫我老黃行了與你們相比，我快成老太婆啦！ 她謙虛和藹，說話音調輕飄飄的，十分柔和，像是一點火氣都沒有的人。 亞男遷就日頭的轉移，又把桌椅重新調整了一下，這才請客人在最蔭涼的角落裏坐下來，斟了一杯茶送到她面前。 黃老師悄聲說：我猜想你們也許沒睡午覺，所以過來串下門。那晚送來那麼多糖和肉，一直沒過來道謝 快別掛在嘴上吧，亞男趕緊謙讓，一點點東西，怎麼好意思！ 黃老師果然不提，轉而問候起辛梅。 小辛來幾天了，還住得慣吧？上哪兒玩去沒有？ 就是昨天去了一趟漢口，辛梅說，這才發現住在桂子山上多福氣。漢口熱得柏油路上都冒了煙似的。 我把辛梅拖去漢口買東西，亞男說，並且專程去吃了你介紹的四季美湯包店。 Yeah?湯包子味道不錯吧？ 是好，辛梅說，做得很小巧，咬一口，汁水冒出來，果然名不虛傳。 就是生意太好，亞男忍不住挑剔，光買票的隊就排出門口來。座無虛席，我們是眼巴巴盯著別人吃，等人家吃好，立刻搶坐下來，實在很緊張！ 館子沒有不擁擠的，黃老師柔聲細氣地解釋著。你們為什麼不去東湖玩玩？隔著湖望得見武漢鋼鐵廠，風景有秀麗之處，也有雄偉壯觀的一面，夏天是最吸引人的地方。 這幾天正碰上高溫，熱怕了，壓根就不敢出門，亞男說。明天晚上陶新生就要回長沙，要不明天下決心出去玩一天。 怎麼，你愛人明天就要走？黃老師有些詫異地問辛梅。 他只請了五天假，明天是最後一天，火車票都買好了。 辛梅說著，又把新生出差的事解釋了一下。她知道黃老師患肝炎多年，就關切地問起她的病情來。 還不是老毛病，時好時壞，就是累不得。為這個病，不能有始有終地上課，總覺得對不起學生。 你上學年在家休養，工資照領吧？亞男仗著與她談得來，坦率地問起同事的經濟情況。 頭六個月是全領，以後打八折，我現在就是領的八折工資。 你快康復了吧？辛梅殷切地問。 差不多了，上星期去驗尿，已經正常了，再休息幾天，九月可以去上班。不做事，人也憋得慌。 辛梅聽她說領的是打折扣的工資，又渴望要上班，就斷定黃老師為人老實。她家裏樓下的鄰居也是老病號，一樣的毛病，態度卻迥然不同。文化大革命前後十年之久，他沒上過幾天班，一堂課也不曾上過。每逢請病假將滿六個月，他便說身體好了，施施然來上班。一個月不到，又說不行了，假條接著遞上來。政治運動來了，必是他病情惡劣的時候，就正大光明地躲避掉。同事儘管不滿，說他鑽社會主義的空子，但他出身不壞，沒有犯過政治錯誤，也就奈何不得。 黃老師的大女兒在農村落戶。亞男問她夏天為什麼不叫女兒回來玩玩？ 小文上回來信，說要把探親假留到春節回來過。她下去一年，自己要求很高，希望表現好些，滿兩年的時候可以爭取報名考大學。 辛梅點頭稱讚：好！你女兒真曉得上進！ 聽到讚揚，黃老師嘴角的微笑反而消失，眉頭微顰，輕喟了一聲，顯得心事重重。 希望很小的，她告訴辛梅，但做家長的只好鼓勵為主，不去潑她冷水。 辛梅說好些知青都養不活自己，小文怎麼樣？亞男神色認真地問著。你們也要貼錢嗎？ 黃老師仔細的瞧了瞧四周，這才悄聲回答亞男：多少總要貼一些。特別是女孩子，剛開始，哪能掙回自己的口糧？小文有個同學下放到一個很窮的大隊，整年有大半時間是吃家裏的黑糧哪！貼點吃穿還是小事，主要是不放心女孩子下鄉，出門就是一年半載，做母親的就是心事多！ 說到這裏，她面有愧色地自我批評起來。 你們也許要笑我思想落後，這麼想不開。按說孩子交給國家了，公社、大隊會管的。但事實上，人家哪有功夫管那麼多？小文的公社算是富的，大隊根本不歡迎知青去，怕外人分去了他們的工分。她住在社員家還好，很多男性是合夥住，弄得生活不檢點，抽烟喝酒，爭風吃醋，甚至出人命案子。女孩大肚子的也有。壞事當然是極個別的例子，不過做父母的都懸把心。現在定出考大學的規矩，真是好事，雖然僧多粥少，但起碼給年輕人一點希望。可惜的是突出政治條件，像小文這樣，父母是知識份子，希望渺茫得很呢。 亞男聽到小文希望渺茫，臉整個沉了下來，半晌不作聲。辛梅猜她想得長遠，自己忍不住也想到陶煉和陶冶的未來，確是相當渺茫。這下，竟不知說什麼來安慰她。 小柳，你家圓圓學過鋼琴沒有？或者拉過小提琴之類的？黃老師忽然問起。 亞男搖搖頭。在巴黎和瑞士的時候，很多小朋友學鋼琴。方正嫌這是資產階級玩意兒，不讓她學。他說，要學也要回中國來學。現在怎麼學？街上連鋼琴的影子都沒見過。 真要學，總有辦法的。黃老師的口氣很樂觀。我們是師範學院，有音樂系。好多家長現在都想方設法給孩子學一技之長，好比拉提琴，吹笛子，唱京劇，甚至跳高、打球也行。總之，懷有一技之長，將來下了農村，比較有出頭露面的機會。 辛梅聽得睜大了眼。原來武漢也是這樣！她聽到南京最近出現了私下蒐集樂譜的事，什麼樣樂器的譜子都成了寶貝，文化革命中沒有燒毀的月光曲、圓舞曲什麼的，都在互相借抄。南京大學的教員還自己教孩子拉小提琴、練長跑等等，準備將來孩子下鄉時，可以靠選拔運動員或文工隊員的機會調上來。 都要這麼挖空心思地作打算，日子怎麼過呀！亞男說完嘆了口氣。 黃老師委婉地對亞男說：沒有後門可開的話，旁門左道也是一條路哩。 黃老師不多坐，茶水也沒沾一口就托詞回去了。等她的背影消失後，辛梅帶著玩笑的口吻向朋友建議了：怎麼樣，亞男？給圓圓發展個一技之長吧！ 亞男眼睛望著她，臉上一副哭笑不得的表情。 hell!她沒好氣地說：圓圓不會唱，也不會跳。我們又不是音樂老師或者體育教員，怎麼給她發展一技之長？除了數學，還是數學，就認啦！ 可以培養的呀！辛梅倒是認真起來。我這個音樂課要補考的人，都可以上臺去唱戲，圓圓聰明伶俐，學什麼一定會什麼。我敢保證！ you promise? 她盯了辛梅一眼，冷笑起來。辛梅正想再說服她，她卻把手一擺。 此路不通的！她壓低了嗓門告訴辛梅：別看江青現在遮去了半邊天，樣板戲跟著走紅。前兩年林彪不也紅得發紫嗎？一夜之間就身敗名裂！哪一天江青有個三長兩短，樣板戲不變成臭狗屎才怪！學唱戲還不如唸唸加減乘除，至少百變不離其宗。 孩子還小，我們不要操心得太早。辛梅安慰她，其實也是安慰自己。中國會有前途的，來一兩個五年計劃，工業肯定突飛猛進。那時候，農村人口該向城市倒流了。像圓圓和陶煉他們都有進工廠當工人的機會。總之，將來是有希望的！ 但是朋友的安慰亞男並沒有聽進去。黃老師的一席話加添了她的心事。她靠著飯桌，雙手支起下巴，仰首望天，眼睛針定定地瞧住一片白雲，思想飛得遠遠的。日頭逐漸西移，樹蔭不斷地向一邊延伸出去，暑威不但沒有減退，反而悶熱得令人喘不過氣來。 辛梅知道一時勸不動亞男，也跟著沉默下來。 當天晚上，亞男提起遊東湖，老少都拍手贊成。 因為第二天是星期日，方正怕公共汽車太擁擠，又連著幾天高溫，也擔心孩子受罪，就說要叫兩部出租汽車。辛梅覺得太花錢，也怕人家批評他們太嬌貴，遊湖要乘小包車，因此極力阻止。 嗨，你送來了我們的存摺，錢多著，不花幹啥？方正不但想得開，還振振有詞地數落辛梅一番：你呀！怎麼變得前怕狼，後怕虎啦？國家既然正大光明設個出租汽車公司，就表示允許老百姓租車。大家不租，政府會賠錢的這是起碼的經濟學定律！ 除了大旅館，新生從旁提醒朋友一句，一般人叫不到出租汽車的，有錢也沒用。 方正拍拍胸脯說：你放心，在下已經電話叫過兩回了一次是為法國來的朋友，另一次是美國同學而且是隨叫隨到，服務態度比巴黎的士司機還要好！ 第二天早上，吃過了早點，方正去打電話召車。他乘興而去，卻敗興而回。原來汽車公司聽說是私人要車，回說無車，只肯替他定三輪車。方正只好要了兩部三輪車讓婦女和小孩坐，自己打算和新生擠公共汽車上東湖。 亞男向辛梅䀹䀹眼，在她肩上拍一掌，說：誰叫你們不是外賓呀？四輪坐不成，請你們坐三輪的吧。 既然已經叫了車，新生夫婦也不多話，就幫著收拾了一下，帶了小孩，走到華師門口去等。 辛梅發現華師和水院的校園有不少相似的地方，都是五十年代新建的學校；水院傍山，華師是整個在山上；都是林木茂盛，種了果樹，闢了菜圃，也栽了花，極富園林之美。華師的大門內一路豎了語錄牌，十字路口也有毛澤東的塑像，這倒是所有大學共同的點綴。 他們在門口等候了半小時，三輪車還不來。校門和大馬路有一段距離，方正就領著大家慢慢走出來，在馬路口繼續等。又是半小時過去，公共汽車倒是開過兩部了，三輪車仍杳無蹤影。 不等了！亞男終於急躁地嚷起來：已經十點半了，這麼不守信用！快乘公共汽車去！ 大家趕緊橫過馬路，到汽車站牌下等候。 這時候，辛梅看見兩部空的三輪車慢悠悠的過來。他們一前一後的踩進了華師，不久又空車踩出來。踩車的都是上了五十歲的年紀，態度逍遙自在。她懷疑這是方正叫的兩部車，就指點給他看。方正抓抓頭髮，也沒有把握。 去問問看，亞男催他，如果是，就付了車錢打發掉，我們不要坐。這麼大熱天，坐著看人家踩車子也不舒服。怎麼全讓老頭子踩三輪車，也怪！ 方正一招手，才走兩步，前面的一輛三輪車立刻就過來。打聽後，正是方正叫的兩部。 另一部有些事辦，等他一陣，來晚了。老頭子解釋了一句，回頭看一眼他的同伴。後者煞住了車，停在馬路另一邊觀望著。 方正說明不坐車的意思，但仍按原定一塊六毛一部的車資付錢，數了三塊兩毛遞過去。老頭子無不可地點點頭，沒敢接錢，先回頭告訴他同伴：他們不坐了，車錢照付！ 後面那個工人聽說不坐，忽地眉毛豎成倒八字，口氣僵硬地說：不行，不坐就要付來回的車資，三塊兩毛一部車！ 大家聽了都一愕。方正性烈，衝口就說沒這個道理，隔著馬路同他辯論起來。那個工人並沒多少道理可說，只是一口咬定自己的主張。這邊的老頭子一聲不吭，掏了毛巾擦臉，作壁上觀。兩人沒有爭完，汽車倒開過一部。亞男急得蹬腳了，趕緊數了六塊四毛，塞到方正手中，低聲叫他付錢了事。方正認為是原則問題，偏不讓，仍然臉紅脖子粗地同那工人爭論著。新生看附近有人張望了，也很急，就站出來和解。他提議仍按約定的辦，讓婦女坐三輪車去東湖了事。 no!工人一口否決。已經回了不坐，就不能坐！付來回車資吧！ 方正這下氣得臉發黑，張開了嘴大罵一頓，又伸手按緊了喉嚨，硬把舌尖上的話嚥下去。幸好這時走過一個熟人，正是他的同事小伍。新生把經過說了一遍給他聽。別看小伍那天在方正家一臉木訥，這時臉色一變，立刻挺身出來主持公道。他大聲對那個工人說： 要來回車錢是不合理的！你們先遲到，他們連車都沒坐過，一趟都不付也可以 付了，付了！亞男趕緊插嘴，又立刻從方正手中取來車費，轉遞給身旁的老頭。 老頭拿眼瞟著他的同伴，還不敢貿然收下。 小伍臉色嚴肅地向那刁難的工人說：我勸你們先收下來。如果有意見，回去向你們領導反映，讓他找我們華師的負責人連絡吧！ 最後這一句顯然奏效，那個工人不再吭聲。於是老頭收下了錢，兩人踩動了三輪車，悄然走掉。正好又來了一部汽車，小伍熱心地幫著招呼小孩，直把他們送上了車，自己才離開。 車上，四個大人都是滿腹不痛快，又無從說起，只好各自悶在肚裏。車窗上沿，紅漆烙印的標語十分醒目：工人階級必須領導一切！方正鐵灰著臉，一語不發地瞪著車窗外。 經過這場風波，他們到東湖時，已經十二點出了頭。買了票進入公園，風景還來不及看一眼，便聽到圓圓喊口渴，小牛抱著肚子直嚷餓，而陶煉熱得張嘴喘氣，拉著要媽媽給他買汽水。大人也饑腸轆轆，便往賣飯的長天樓走過來。遊客真多，湖邊圈出來的游泳池裏是密密麻麻的人頭，岸上任何有遮欄的地方也擠滿了人。走廊上，樹蔭下，許多青少年席地而坐，人手一瓶汽水，津津有味的啃著乾巴巴的麵包。 長天樓居高臨下，俯視著東湖，朱漆飛簷，遠看頗有氣派。樓兩旁的長廊沿著小坡修築，迂迴曲折，欄杆兩旁都種了花草，佈置了假山，有庭園的氣氛。在長廊上憑欄眺望，湖水浩瀚，波光粼粼，與晴空萬里相輝映的壯闊氣象，使人心胸也跟著開闊起來。恰是日正當中，驕陽把湖水蒸出一層煙霧，就像罩上一襲輕紗。極目遠望，湖對岸的武漢鋼鐵廠，煙囪林立，藍煙裊裊，透過波光煙霧，宛若海市蜃樓，似有還無，給雄偉的湖景平添了一絲神祕感。 新生對鋼鐵廠感興趣，對方正說：可惜沒有船，要不然划到對岸去看一眼多好！ 還是隔得遠看美些，方正告訴他，就像共產主義的遠景一樣，可望不可即才會迷人！ 辛梅和亞男領著孩子在長廊上歇口氣，一邊喝汽水，一邊欣賞風景。方正和新生去張羅中飯。食堂裏座無虛席，許多顧客是端著碗站著吃。方正讓朋友去等候座位，自己去買飯菜。菜譜很簡單，總共十樣不到，有些已售罄。方正把所有剩下的菜都買了一盆。其中有一道糖醋魚，價格最高，因此沒有人問津。方正知道大家愛吃魚，買到了很高興。 等候了一個小時，好不容易輪到他們挨上座位。服務員端上飯菜後，大家的筷子都伸向這條魚身上，轉眼就露出脊骨。這道魚是中看不中吃，魚本身裹了太厚的麵粉，可能老早炸的，已經又冷又硬，只有身上澆的糖醋汁是溫熱的。食堂裏大概糖很多，糖醋快成了糖水。這卻正對孩子們的胃口，小牛把筷子用舌頭舔了又舔。 這不會是毛主席詩詞裏說的武昌魚吧？辛梅嚐了兩口後，皺起眉頭議論了。 別給我們武昌現醜吧！亞男抗議，這樣的美味如果毛主席嚐到、哪進得了他的詩詞！ 你們昨天燒的那條魚味道比這高明多了！ 方正做了對比後，忽然憧憬起來，說：哪天要能吃到一條東湖燒出來的魚，該有多美！ 辛梅安慰他說：不難，不難！下回外賓再來，通過他們點一道武昌魚過過癮吧！ 方正笑笑說：這樣下去，有一天我們不變得媚外才怪！ 魚雖然令人失望，炒菜卻很可口，主要是蔬菜很新鮮，而且燒得很鹹，非常下飯。孩子們吃得最香，尤其是小牛，胃口特別好。他狼吞虎嚥地吃了一碗飯，又喝了一碗酸辣湯，還沒有放下筷子的意思。亞男見他吃相如此猛，怕他鬧肚子疼，連忙禁止他再吃。 大人飯後都累得不想動，小孩子卻吵著要游泳，兩個爸爸只好奉陪。辛梅和亞男坐在一棵樹下給他們看守衣服。不少遊客或坐或躺，都閉了眼養神；除了游泳的人逐水嬉笑外，東湖忽然靜下來。面對著這明媚的湖光水色，辛梅提不起文人騷客的思古幽情，只感到眼皮發澀。兩人一下子都睡著了。 新生記掛著晚上八點半的火車，泡了一陣水，就提議回家。方正說時光尚早，可以繞湖走一陣，改由洛伽山回去。他們把孩子哄上岸，叫醒了兩個打盹的媽媽，一起朝南逛過去。走過屈原紀念館，不開放。逛到行吟閣時，撞見湖上一隻空船，撐篙的是個女人。亞男想遊湖，就跑去招手，操起湖北腔同她打交道。女的同意送他們到九曲橋，但索價兩塊半。亞男答應，連忙招呼大家上船。 這隻船很大，裝了大小八個人還不嫌擠。辛梅同撐篙的攀談了幾句，知道她是附近公社的社員，船是專門用來替東湖菜場運送蔬菜水果的，因此體積比遊艇大許多。這位社員姓孫，剛好任務完畢，樂得順路載他們回九曲橋，可以賺筆外快。她戴了一頂斗笠，遮去曬成紅棕色的臉；缺了兩顆門牙，笑得天真無邪似地；穿著褪了色彩的花布衫配著黑布長褲和塑料涼鞋；看不出正確年紀，