"Beat me, beat me hard." At the intersection of the village at the foot of the mountain in the early morning, six or seven 11- or 12-year-old boys were beating a boy in black on the ground. A little fat man stood nearby and shouted, listening to the village chief's son Wang The six or seven teenagers worked harder with their fists and feet as Xiaopang yelled.
The sound kept ringing, and a cloud of dust was raised on the ground. However, the boy lying on the ground tightly protected the cloth bag in his arms, but his eyes were calm. He had no other emotions because of the beating. After a while, he didn't know whether it was because he often The young man who was beaten looked bored if he didn't fight back. He was still tired from the beating, and the six or seven young men surrounding him gradually stopped.
"Hey Jiuge, I asked you why I haven't seen you in the past two days. It turns out you ran into the mountains. Why don't you know the rules after not beating me for two days? Didn't I tell you to walk around when you see me? Otherwise I'll beat you once I see you." Wang Xiaochuang's cheeks trembled as he spoke, and his saliva kept sputtering out.
Hearing this, the young man on the ground raised his head. The white washed black cloth was covered with footprints, but the strong figure under the clothes could not be hidden, and the dust on his face could not hide the young man's delicate appearance. It was just because he went into the mountains. Two days later, Wei Wei's young face looked a little haggard, and her eyes, which were calm at first, now looked a little anxious and impatient due to the passage of time.
Thinking about the old man at home, Jiu Ge calmed down his anger a little, "Little Fatty, I've beaten you too. I've almost beaten you enough for today. My grandfather is a bit seriously ill this time. I went into the mountains to hunt some game." I need to help grandpa recuperate, I'm in a hurry to go home and let's talk about it tomorrow." Thinking that the old man at home who picked him up and raised him is seriously ill, Jiuge's tone became more and more anxious.
"Oh, there's also game. Leave what's in the bag in your arms. You can go back, otherwise you'll know the consequences." Wang Xiaopang's face was full of fat and trembling. After saying this, several teenagers gathered around him. .
Jiu Ge got angry when he saw this face. He usually bullied himself with the older children in the village just because he was the son of the village chief. In order not to let the old man at home be disappointed and worried, he always endured it. He kept silent and let it go if he could bear it, thinking about all the things he had done in the past.
Jiu Ge became completely impatient, "I told you, these two hares are for my grandpa to replenish his body. If you want to eat them, I can hunt them for you someday. If I can't do that now, I have to go back in a hurry." He stared at Wang Xiaopang with his brows raised, his mouth He took a sip.
"Fuck you, grandpa, you bastard without a father or a mother, that old immortal who will die no matter what he eats. I have to eat it today. Humph, if I don't give it to you today, I won't even think about going back. I won't beat you." If you can't get up, I will take your last name." Wang Xiaopang put his hand on his waist and pointed at Jiu Ge and shouted domineeringly.
Jiuge stood up immediately after hearing this, his pupils shrank slightly and showed a little bloodshot. No matter how much he scolded or hit himself, he didn't care, but it was not okay if someone disrespected the old man. Listening to those disrespectful words towards the old man, he felt the anger that he had suppressed for a long time. I can't bear it anymore.
"Bang bang bang..." Jiuge struggled to push away the two teenagers who were approaching him and punched Wang Xiaopang standing aside in the eyes several times, his shouts even a little hoarse. "Ahhhh... hit him!" A scream like a butchering pig rang out, and the pain on his face made Wang Xiaopang hysterical. The teenagers around him heard the cry and rushed towards Jiu Ge regardless of their own safety.
Dust flew up, and Jiu Ge was mixed with six or seven teenagers. Their fists and thighs were constantly being squandered, and from time to time there were screams and the sound of fists hitting their chests.
Wang Xiaopang's father is the village head of Wangjia Village and a wealthy family in the village. These six or seven teenagers, who are from average family backgrounds, follow Wang Xiaopang around and run errands every day. Where are Jiuge's rivals who have been working in the mountains since he was a child to hunt and collect herbs? After a while, six or seven teenagers with bruises and swollen faces and covered in dust ran back to their homes one after another.
Jiu Ge turned around and walked towards Wang Xiaopang with an angry look on his face, "Don't come here, what are you going to do? I don't want the rabbit anymore. You can go back. I will never bring anyone to bully you again." Wang Xiaopang slowly backed away. While shouting in horror, his eyes were full of fear, and because of fear, the fat on his face stopped shaking.
Jiu Ge ignored Wang Xiaopang's roar and kicked Wang Xiaopang to the ground with a cold look. He then rode on his body and hit the face that had been looking disgusting for a long time. After the beating, he calmed down and picked it up. The cloth bag on the ground patted the dust, pointed at Wang Xiaopang with his right hand and shouted, "Being silent doesn't mean I'm afraid of you. Please keep your mouth clean from now on, or it'll be up to you who will deal with who." Wang Xiaopang's face on the ground had been swollen. The tears and dust on his face were mixed together. Looking at Jiu Ge's indifferent eyes, Wang Xiaopang's lips trembled slightly, without saying anything, he slowly got up and ran towards home with his two panda eyes.
The fat butt squirmed while running and looked back at Jiu Ge with a little fear. After running for a short distance and making sure that Jiu Ge couldn't catch up, he shouted vaguely in a crying voice, "Jiu Ge, you are waiting to go back." Tell my dad, this matter is not over yet." After saying that, he ignored Jiuge's reaction and ran away quickly. Jiuge smiled disdainfully, dusted himself off, and walked towards his home. The elderly at home were still waiting. he.
Although he was angry, but thinking about beating Wang Xiaopang, his father would definitely not let it go. Wang Xiaopang's father was like a local emperor in the village. He was used to being arrogant and domineering. He took advantage of the family's little money to do better. Servants and servants. Jiu Ge felt a little heavy, and the good mood that he had gone into the mountains to hunt two hares was gone, so he walked to the door of his house with his thoughts on his mind.
There is a small courtyard and an adobe house. Next to the adobe house, there are a few pigs enclosed by a fence made of wood. Although the house is relatively simple and shabby compared with other houses in the village, it is my own home. The place where I have lived for twelve years brings me warmth. Smelling the familiar smell of grass and soil in the yard at home, and the smell of pig manure wafting from the fence, Zhao Jiuge felt inexplicably better. Putting aside the unpleasantness just now, the corners of his mouth were slightly raised, and a faint smile filled his face.
"Grandpa, I'm back, let's see what I brought back for you." Jiuge couldn't wait to shout loudly before entering the door. He pushed open the door that was not tightly closed. The door was made of wooden boards because After being used for a long time, the wooden door and the sliding base underneath make a friction sound, as if it has witnessed the sad life of the old man. Now that the old man has run out of oil and lamps, it seems that it is also telling his sorrow.
Pushing open the door, the scene inside the room gradually came into view. Because the house was an adobe house, for a long time after the rain, the house still exuded a faint damp musty smell. When he smelled the smell, Zhao Jiuge's face showed a slight trace of it. It was complicated, and this lingering musty smell cast a haze in the heart of the young and sensible Jiu Ge.
The room was very empty, without any valuable items. There were some debris scattered on the ground. There was a wooden horse in the corner, which was my childhood playmate. There was a big wooden bed in the middle. I looked at the old man still lying on it. Leaning on the bed, Zhao Jiuge felt relieved. After many years of life, I have developed a dependence on this old man. A place with an old man is a home, and a place with an old man is warm.
But when I thought about being seriously ill, my heart just dropped again. The old man on the bed had a head full of white hair and a kind smile on his face. His wrinkles witnessed the old man's growth and aging, and could not conceal the old age coming from his body. Looking at the seriously ill old man, Zhao Jiuge clenched his fists with five fingers and squeezed hard, pursed his mouth tightly, and a feeling of powerlessness emerged in his heart.
"Jiu Ge is back. Grandpa is still worried about you. He hasn't been back all night. Come and sit with Grandpa and explain some things to you. I'm afraid that one day I will fall asleep and not wake up, and I will never see you again." Listen. Listening to his grandfather's words, Jiuge felt a little panic in his heart. No matter how calm and strong he was, he was still a child. Thinking that the old man would leave and be left alone one day, my nose suddenly felt blocked and my eyes became a little moist.
"Grandpa, you will be fine. I will go to the city tomorrow. I will go into the mountains to hunt more and change medicines and ask the doctor to come. I don't want grandpa to leave me." His voice was choked with sobs, and he felt more helpless. "Silly boy, it's natural for people to die of old age, illness, and death. Grandpa just can't worry about you. I remember that year when I went to the city and saw you as an infant on the official road, I didn't expect that more than ten years have passed." The old man put on his eyes. There was a burst of light flowing in the room, and I started to sigh when I recalled all the past events.
"Grandpa has nothing to give you. Apart from an ancestral jade pendant and this shabby house, Grandpa also knows a little bit about how you are treated in the village. If I leave one day, you can go out and explore in the future. The outside world is very exciting and exciting. Ordinary people can't finish it in a lifetime." Jiu Ge listened to his grandfather's instructions and couldn't calm down for a long time. The fear and helplessness of his grandfather passing away one day, and the longing for the outside world were all impacting Jiu Ge's heart. His lips opened slightly and trembled for a few times before closing again, his dark eyes filled with confusion.
After speaking, the old man took out the jade pendant from under the pillow. The jade pendant was rectangular in shape, with an unknown animal pattern carved in the middle of the dark body, including a dragon head, an ox body, and a deer tail. After putting it on Jiu Ge, Jiu Ge gently touched the jade pendant. He didn't know what material the jade pendant was made of. It was cold in his hand. Zhao Jiuge opened his eyes wide and was a little surprised at the temperature of this jade pendant.
The grandfather and grandson in the house seem to have endless things to say. The old man and the young man may know in their hearts that there are not many such warm days, so they cherish every moment of every day.
However, neither the grandfather nor the grandson during the exchange noticed that the originally dark jade pendant suddenly flashed with a dark light, and then it calmed down and returned to its original appearance.
The soft whispers in the room continued, and the sound floated out through the wooden window. The sun in the sky outside bathed the entire courtyard of the house in a golden color. The warm time continued. Maybe Zhao Jiuge's heart was also like outside the window at this moment. As warm as the sun.
At noon, only a few smokes rose over the mountain village. In the courtyard, Jiu Ge expertly used a knife to dissect the hare, remove the skin, and bleed it out step by step. After finishing, he cut off the meat. The whole action was completely subconscious, and his eyes were a little dull. , even though my grandpa’s condition is serious and not very good, and I feel inexplicably uncomfortable, I still want to not worry about myself when the old man is around. Let the elderly see their strong and independent side.
The bloody smell of the hare stimulated Zhao Jiuge's nerves, as if he tasted the smell of death. Thinking of the old man who had run out of oil and the lamp, and looking at the painfully struggling hare, Zhao Jiuge suddenly felt unbearable.
Suddenly, a burst of noise gradually came from outside the courtyard from far to near, breaking the tranquility of the village at the foot of the mountain. The sound was very close. Jiuge heard the footsteps and yelling of a group of people, and his face changed. He was originally because his grandfather was seriously ill. Sad and forgetful of what happened in the morning, he remembered it again. Wang Xiaopang’s father, Wang Dazhuang, came with his men.
Wang Dazhuang led Wang Xiaopang and his servants into the courtyard. Wang Xiaopang's face was already covered with potion, and he looked a bit funny. Wang Dazhuang's eyes were sunken, his body was straight and his belly was fat, and his brows were furrowed because he was angry. A sense of eeriness.
"Zhao Jiuge, you are a bastard. You were born but not taught by your mother. You beat my precious son like this. If you don't give me an explanation today and I won't tear your house apart, my job as village chief will be in vain." When Wang Dazhuang came home, his son was in so much pain that he couldn't bear to beat him or scold him. When he saw his son come back this morning with bruises on his face, he was anxious and angry. He asked a doctor to apply medicine, so he brought his son to seek justice now. As soon as they met, they started cursing without thinking about anything.
Zhao Jiuge sighed and pursed his lips slightly, with a nervous look on his face, "It was your little fat guy who made the first move and scolded my grandpa before I fought back. I didn't fight back when he did it before. If grandpa hadn't been seriously ill today, If I come back in a hurry, I won't deal with him." Looking at the group of people in the courtyard in front of the house, I just wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible and didn't want to disturb the grandfather in the room. He explained patiently and softly.
"Humph, I just saw my son being beaten like this. I have to teach you a lesson today," Wang Dazhuang shouted fiercely.
"Ahem, what's wrong with Jiu Ge?" The old man heard the noise outside and got out of bed on crutches and came out of the room. When Jiu Ge saw him, he immediately stepped forward to support the old man and told the old man what happened in the morning. He was secretly worried. When I got up, the less I wanted to worry about the old man, the more trouble he caused. The old man was already seriously ill, and he couldn't help but regret his recklessness in the morning.
After hearing what happened, the old man's face was full of apologies. He endured the physical discomfort and gasped weakly: "Village Chief Wang, this matter is my Jiu Ge's fault. I asked him to apologize to your little fat kid for making trouble." I’m not sensible, sir, just forget about it.”
Wang Dazhuang curled his lips and sneered, "Old immortal, forget it, I'll either pay you or have your legs broken and your grandson kicked out of the village." He didn't sympathize with the old man at all because of his serious illness. Instead, he became even more furious.
"Like father, like son. They all have the same bad mouths." Jiuge looked at Wang Dazhuang coldly. Seeing that the old man was already weak but still forced a smile and begged humbly in front of Wang Dazhuang, Zhao Jiuge felt uncomfortable in his heart. Sad and sad, hearing the disrespectful words of Wang Dazhuang, his stubborn temper rose again.
After speaking, he raised his head slightly, raised his eyebrows and frowned, "I was the one who hit him. You can hit me and scold me. I admit it, but this matter has nothing to do with my grandfather." Looking at Zhao Jiuge, he was as proud as a little kid. The Lion King Dazhuang couldn't control the anger in his heart, "You little bastard who has a mother but not a mother." Wang Dazhuang said with a fierce look on his face and a ruthless look on his face and hit Jiuge with a stick.
Jiu Ge looked at the stick that was coming toward him, making a sharp tingling sound in the air. His face changed slightly and his pupils dilated. He wanted to use his young and vigorous figure to hide away, but the old man standing next to him was eager to protect his grandson and watched. Wang Dazhuang hit his grandson with a stick and immediately blocked Jiuge's face with his whole body without hesitation.
A muffled "bang" sound hit the old man's body, and his fragile body immediately fell to the ground. Blood splattered from his mouth. His eyes were slightly closed, and he watched as the air came in and out.
Wang Dazhuang was dumbfounded and a little panicked. After all, killing is not a trivial matter. Although the old man was exhausted, "This...this...this matter is compensated in this way. You beat my little fat boy, and I beat your grandfather with a stick. We don't owe each other anything, Zhao Jiuge, hurry up and see your grandpa, let's go." After saying that, his face turned pale, his limbs were stiff, and he led Wang Xiaopang and the servants away in a panic.
"Grandpa..." Zhao Jiuge watched his grandfather hold his breath and shouted loudly and indignantly. He knelt helplessly next to the old man, pulling and crying for grandpa, but no matter how he called, the old man on the ground remained motionless. As the sun set, its afterglow shone on the courtyard, and Zhao Jiuge cried softly beside the old man's body. The voice gradually became hoarse and finally disappeared.
He didn't know how long he knelt beside the old man like this. Zhao Jiuge gradually stopped crying. His eyes were full of hatred, and his voice was hoarse from crying. He slowly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his hands, letting the breeze pass by. Blow into face. After calming down, a calmness and coldness that was inappropriate for his age suddenly appeared on Zhao Jiuge's face, full of ferociousness. He turned around and went back to his room, packed his things and carried them on his back. He picked up his hunting knife and carried his grandfather's body as he walked slowly and hard up the mountain step by step.